Take Me To Your Leader

Living in an international environment, it is interesting to see how, when faced with a competing viewpoint, people get pretty fierce about how great their country or culture is. There was a group of Pakistanis and a Nigerian on a bus. I know this sounds like the beginning of a racist joke but it's not. Sorry to disappoint one of you. In any case, I was on this bus and they were having a competition to see how could say Quranic verses the quickest. The Nigerian complained that this wasn't really a good competition because it just sounded like gibberish. He proceeded to chant/sing Arabic; it sounded pretty good to me. But the voices kept getting louder and louder on the bus until finally our Chinese teacher told them to (in  English): "Have a rest!" It was a bit odd, but I gathered that they were trying to determine which was the more legitimate Islamic culture: Nigerian Islam or Pakistani Islam. I think the Nigerian felt ganged up on; I felt bad for him. So the competition wasn't really about Islam, it was really about which was the better culture/country: Pakistani or Nigeria. Foodwise, you'll probably find me in the Pakistani camp. It is interesting to note the fervor which nationals of non-US countries have for their country. When I think about the World Cup, I often think about how all the different countries have some sort of song or chant they say: the Brazilians, the Mexicans, the Chinese, the Koreans... I could go on forever. Except for the USA. All we have is: "U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!" Here are some folks trying to combat this lack of chant-power, failing miserably and resorting to their cultural default. The weird juxtaposition of Mexican-Americans cheering for Mexico over the US (or any other hyphenated American for their 'home' for that matter) is another post for another day. But the point that I've been noticing here, in country, is how most internationals have a great respect for their own country and thus there is a pride they take in the leader of their country because he, for better or for worse, represents them. While they might have some ugly things to say behind closed doors, they recognize that their leader represents them and to disparage that leader would be to insult themselves. It is ironic to me that the day our president wins the Nobel Peace Prize, many Americans are critical of it. That's not to say that President Obama is beyond critique. He isn't. But the same kind of unsophisticated criticism that the left had of President Bush is the same that the right has of President Obama. The political bickering that I often read about leads me to think that most American politicians and pundits have no international context with which to view their own comments. It's one thing to say that your president's policies are unwise or ill-conceived. It's another thing to call him liar or to hope that all his plans fail. It's not just President Obama that has received this criticism, but many of his predecessors before him. In a culture where we highly prize individuality and self-expression, we cringe at the thought that another might represent us, especially if that other is someone that we don't feel correctly represents us. Living overseas has made me realize that Americans are more alike than different, and I am very proud and glad to be one. Congratulations President Obama! May your presidency usher in an era of peace and prosperity, both at home and abroad.