Okay so I know im not exactly the most nationalistic person
ever however I am going to take amount to reflect or give my stance what I
value you about the symbolism behind what America is supposed to represent. In
light of recent events in Libya and Egypt while most deff tragic it gave me the
chance to stand up in the face of adversary. What I mean by this is Cambodians
for the most part are extremely pro American and my host family is no exception
and with all the breaking news focusing on the religious fundamentalist of
Islamic faith attacking American embassy this out ragged my host mom. So much
so that she went off on a rant how she was never going to talk to the cham’s
that what they call Islam/Muslims in Khmer she went on to say she hated them!
Now I could have take this opportunity to jump on some bandwagon but for once I
felt the need to really make someone understand what America is supposed to
stand for and that the ideal qualities our country was built on concepts like
equality and freedom. So instead I sat
down with her and explain that I don’t hate them even if I was to come contact
with an extremist I would not hate them but feel sorry for them that they want
to judge me as American with out knowing me as a person. That to hate a small
group of radicals and put the majority in that group is not what America wants
to stand for and I have to put my self in that category. we went back in forth
for a while I of course could not say this as eloquently in Khmer as im talking
to you about but never the less she sort
of understood by the end of the conversation but she just wanted to reiterate
to me Khmer people would never do that! I just was like yeah yeah yeah but in
reality we all want to believe the country culture subgroup or whatever is an
outliner in the ability to commit violent acts but sadly it is not true most of
another or us at one time will have been associated with a group of people that
has acted violently. While I might not wake up everyday thanking “god” I am
American I do want to say publicly that the symbolism however lost it has gotten
in recent history is still something I try to hold on when I define my self as
American and today I got the chance to prove it. As for my safety I am fine I
live in a village with a lot of Islamic people none of them are pissed at
America from what I can tell and pretty much the entire Cambodian army/police
force is stationed out side the US Embassy.
So as disturbing as it is that this event has made it into political war
for the record im living in another country and there is being extra preventive
measures to protect the embassy our gov is not just pretending everything is
fine. till next time peace out from the other side of the world!
No comments:
Post a Comment