The Next Bold Move – Me Vs. The World

Obama’s campaign slogan was all about change and hope.  Don’t get me wrong, I hope he can change a lot of things in America that have gone wrong or been ignored in the past. There is no doubt that America, as well of the rest of the world is in dire need of a lot of hope and even more change.  The question I think every American and citizen of the world for that matter, should ask themselves is – What have I done to promote the change I wish to see in the world?  Well, what have you done?

Conversation overheard in the common area of the hostel between an American girl (in her early 20’s) and a Peruvian tour agent at the hostel tour agency (also in her early 20’s) :

American Girl:  I would love to go to Bolivia, but it would cost me $100 just for a visa!
Tour Agent:  Good!  Oh I’m sorry {voice trails off}
American Girl:  No, say what you want about America, I don’t care.
Tour Agent:  It takes us years to get a visa to America and just because you are American you can go wherever you want, I think it’s smart that Bolivia charges Americans to get in.

The subject changed shortly thereafter, and I was too annoyed to continue eavesdropping.  

While hiking to Machu Picchu we kept running into another group of trekkers.  They were in their 50’s and we were all in our 20’s and 30’s so we never really made an effort to befriend the other group.  They had all their high speed, name brand gear and we had our cheap packs and crazy guide.  Joanna did make conversation with one of the two women in the group one night when we had camps in the same backyard.  I should rephrase that, the woman asked where Joanna was from and being courteous Jonna asked in return.  The woman replied, “I’m American, but I am not proud.”  Joanna was offended by this statement and she’s Irish.  I am glad I was at the hot springs at the time because I would have probably had more than a few words to say to this woman.  

What I want to say to her now is this.  No, actually you are not ashamed of being American like you seem to want other backpackers to believe.  Is it cool to not be proud of where you are from?  Who you are?  What I think you meant to say is that you are American, but perhaps not proud of what the past or current administration has decided to do.  You are not proud of the American population for voting to put such leaders in power.  But how can you be “not proud” of being American?  If you were truly ashamed of being American you would lie.  You would be from Canada or somewhere in Europe, wherever, but you wouldn’t say with a flair of pride that, “I am American, but I am not proud.”  Furthermore, if you are not proud of your country then what are you doing to make it better?  Travelling around saying things like this?  I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you are the problem.  People with your attitude who don’t step up and change the things you like to bitch about are exactly what is wrong with the “privelaged” world that backpackers from America and Europe are..

Back to the girl at the hostel.  For 2 days straight I sat on the couch, too sick and exhausted to get up and do anything but watch zombie movies and horror flicks.  I had to listen to this chick go on and on about how wonderful San Diego is (which it is).  I have a very short temper when I’m sick and if I had the energy to shut her up I would have walked over and said, “If it is so great, then why the hell are you here and not there?”  Don’t wory I held back and stuck to Camp Couch.  Right before the conversation about visas to get to Bolivia she was bragging about her boyfriend who is a Corporal in the Marine Corps. . . blah blah blah (and we wonder why people hate N.Americans?! We need to learn how to shut up).  So, while he’s off at war or preparing for war she is sitting in a hostel in Peru saying, “Say whatever you want about America I don’t care.”  

9/11 supposedly united us.  I will leave my thoughts about who was really behind 9/11 to myself and save it for another post, but the media and the government did a really good job bringing us together against a common enemy: evil (however we are supposed to define “evil” as an enemy of an established government).  I have questions about the whole attack, but even if it was staged or was really an attack from foreign terrorists it united us.  It became trendy to show your patriotism on your car, in your front lawn.  Men and women volunteered to go fight this enemy (I must confess, part of the allure of joining the Marine Corps was the war we were and still involved in and my chance to be a part of it).  We started wearing American flags on our clothes, yellow ribbons on our purses, we were America and we were NOT going to back down to this “evil” force.  What I have noticed on this trip is that our patriotism is only skin deep.  I would like to say it is the youthful backpackers, but the woman at Macchu Picchu disproved that.  We are proud of our troops, and supportive of our country while we are safe at home.  Where it is cool to be patriotic and believe in the cause.  As soon as we get away from home we denounce this pride.  We become ashamed of who we are because other people disagree with it, with us, or maybe we disagree with it too.  Perhaps they are jealous that we are able to travel freely from country to country, just because we were born somewhere else.  Perhaps they are really interested in political and current affairs – if so start a conversation about it rather than openly put down your country.

The Irish girls I met on my way to Machu Picchu worked within tourism – one at a pub, the other at a tourist company of some sorts (I honestly don’t remember).  Nickola hated Americans because she had to encounter tourists like the two I have described above.  Joanna was very interested in politics and we had a great open dialogue throughout the trek.  Neither of them treated me poorly because I was American.  They were respectful of my time in service and wanted to know about my experiences in Iraq.  I never denounced my pride in who I am.  I am American.  I am a woman.  I am a Marine.  I am a writer.  These are some of the many characteristics that define who I am.  Are there things I have done that I am not proud of?  Of course, but they are a part of who I am and I have learned to forgive myself and accept them as part of my past.  I think we need to do the same for our country.  We have elected poor leaders and good leaders.  These leaders have made decisions that have cost thousands of lives and they have made decisions that have saved thousands of lives.  This is all part of the history of the world.  It is how it is.  I challenge Americans to learn to forgive ourselves for the mistakes we have made.  We have to take responsibility as individuals and as a country as a whole in these matters.  We have to forgive ourselves and carry ourselves with pride and dignity because it is who we are.  We have to forgive ourselves in order to move on and fix the things we have done wrong.

I also challenge Americans who denounce their country to strangers, who protest the war on Veteran’s day, who brag about their boyfriend in the Marines and then bow down to whatever people want to say about America rather than starting a dialogue where two people can learn and maybe come up with a better solution.  I challenge the Americans who own a restaurant in the heart of the country and have voted in every election, sent their sons and daughters to war, flown a flag everyday of thier lives and are truly patriotic as well.  I challenge all of us to unite under a real cause – change.

I have slowly realized how much I have truly changed over the last 4 years.  I didn’t want to admit that the Marine Corps changed me, but it has.  Yes, they brainwash us to believe that killing is natural so that when the time comes we can execute a mission. They brainwash us to believe in war and violence as an answer to the world’s problems.  Yet, they also train us to believe in something bigger than ourselves.  Something greater than our cars, houses, jobs, happy hours.  Something larger than our families and our own lives.  Never leave a Marine behind.  Once a Marine, Always a Marine.  All the slogans that to us are not just slogans, they are words we live and die by.  I realize that the Marine Corps isn’t for everyone – it wasn’t for me.  However, the Marine Corps taught me a lesson that is missing in our school systems and our family value campaigns.  To believe in and/or live for a cause or country to the point that you would give your life for it.  I do not mean the war, or other political campaigns.  I mean my fellow Marines.  You hear the stories about Marines jumping on grenades to save their buddies.  That is honor.  These young men and women throughout history who gave their life for others, for a mission, for whatever are the heroes of this world.  I challenge you to find a cause and fight for it to the point you would put your life on the line for it.  You don’t have to believe in it 100%.  There are plenty of things in the Marine Corps that I disagree with, but I was still part of that organization and if the time came I was ready for that sacrifice.  It doesn’t have to be war or violence.  You could save the earth.  Work to resolve the problem of AIDS in Africa, female castration, public school systems, autistic research.  It doesn’t have to be on the evening news, but find something that gives you a purpose, that creates change, and promotes hope in those who need it. 

Maybe if you did this you would have true pride in who you are and where you are from and not this poser patriotism that I see so many Americans  demonstrate daily as I travel.  As a nation we have put a lot of faith in Obama and his administration.  I have a lot of faith as well.  But, he is only 1 man.  Instead of putting all of the responsibilities of making the changes for this country and the world we need to step up and do something ourselves. Afterall there seems to be plenty of men and women who are willing to strap bombs on their chests and fly planes into the ground for their cause.  So what have you done to create hope and change for the future?

Thank you.

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