Made in the USA: My Own Private 4th of November 2008

We all knew it would be a historical moment, ready to welcome the first Black American president or the oldest president ever elect, not to mention the first female Alaskan moose-hunter for vice-president. Nations had been holding their breath for 21 months of campaign, through the race debate, Joe the Plumber’s case and the recent financial crisis, and the moment of truth was just around the corner. Of course from London to Paris via Madrid or Riga, in Africa, Asia or South America everyone seemed to support Senator Barack Obama in his incredible run towards the White House. This wave of political enthusiasm got so overwhelming one could find it difficult to reflect on the man’s true value at the head of the most powerful nation in the world. Were we cheering for the right candidate? Or were we just over-reacting in favor of the most politically correct, finding in this bright young man a cathartic way to clear up our conscience in a way we’ve always been unable to apply in our own countries? Maybe we, Europeans, were blinded by our will to see the ghost of racism and segregation disintegrating in front of our eyes. We would wash our sins from our guilty conscience through the good deed of America. It turned out to be so difficult to decipher the real origins of this general support that some measures had to be taken: a few days before D-Day I flew over to New Orleans, in the heart of the southern states, and to make things even more challenging my hosts were no less than a family of firm Republican believers. Maybe there I would get a clearer view and a more objective opinion.

There is definitely something special about traveling to the USA. Long before you even set a foot in the country, there is this strange feeling creeping in, reminding you that you are intending to enter a unique and bizarre place where you will lose all references to be swallowed in the blurred identity of a security bound monster which probably doesn’t know anymore who it really is. I have traveled my good share of the world and passed successfully security and custom desks of some nations considered at best as dodgy, as worse as evil depending on the fluctuation of international diplomacy. But out of all my experiences this one was the first time I felt uncomfortable and unwelcome, suspected of some horrible plans before even boarding the aircraft. Now, I know about security, terrorism scare, I remember the confusion and the chaos, the loss and the grief, and how dark the future looked like a few years ago. I remember the planes on TV, the crumbling buildings and the dusty cloud swallowing New York and a big part of the world’s genuine optimism. But it still didn’t help me to understand why the security officer at Heathrow needed me to recite the address of my contact in New Orleans. It was the first time in a long time I even knew where I would go next once the doors of Louis Armstrong Airport would open in front of me. I was being picked up so I didn’t know the address I would stay at for the next two weeks. And even if I gave them an address, what would it prove? Would it prove these people were good American citizens? Just because they had an address? Well I am pretty sure most criminals on Earth do have an address, even a family, a pet, and what the hell, maybe even hobbies and a favorite place they like to go on holiday. The last two lunatics who recently planned to kill Barack Obama did. So how in the world knowing the address of these people would help keep their country a “safe” place? A maybe it was just me being a bit too much on the defensive side.

I had traveled to America twice before but without any civic conscience of where I was. The first time I was a 15 year-old teenager on a school trip -yes, those where the days! My parents had the choice to send me to Florida (party!!! Woohoo!) or to Green Bay, Wisconsin… And on the ground that they were paying for me to learn the language and not for getting a tan and promiscuous, I ended up not going to Florida-party-woohoo but spending three weeks between the Packers museum which I visited twice, the running track my new Yankee friend would use religiously before and after class, and a school where students were sent to learn absolutely nothing at all. I was young, I looked around with naïve eyes and teenager’s criticism in my mouth, not knowing anything about this country but nevertheless being stubbornly opinionated about it. After all, I am French. My second time in the United States was in 2002, at the end of my year-long first backpacking trip. I was 23 when I landed in Los Angeles. I probably had more of a conscience at that age, especially a year after 09/11, but I didn’t come there to watch America. I still had my strong opinions but didn’t really want to discuss or confront them in any way. All I wanted was to party-woohoo, like I should have done eight years before. I wanted to catch up with time and that is exactly what I did. I didn’t learn anything apart from my own boundaries and left the country hangover, with my back tattooed and my head full of stereotypes. So this time felt like my first one all over again. And as the plane flew over the infinite landscape it suddenly hit me. I was going to experience America. This place so commonly discussed and criticized, this land of extremes that supposedly brought the best and the worst in human kind. Here it was underneath the vibrating wings of the aircraft, and it looked massive. The flat land stretched to the horizon, scarred by roads the size of my arm even if we were still a few miles away in the air. This was the country that would elect a new president in a few days, the country I had been reading and hearing so much about for the past year. The country of morbidly obese people who don’t see the problem in carrying around a body weight of a baby elephant. This was the country I had booed watching Michael Moore documentaries. This was the country that had bombed Afghanistan and lead war in Iraq. This, was the country that chose George W. Bush as president. Twice. Oh. My. God. I was suddenly so not ready for that! What in heaven sake was I doing here? The thought of spending the next fortnight in New Orleans suddenly felt overwhelming and I wanted badly out. But then the wheels connected in a roar with the tarmac. And I was in America.

While in transit in Atlanta, going through customs turned out to be another hurdle and it seemed like I was not the only one growing anxious for no apparent reason. A British woman queuing behind me whispered to her friend she would probably admit any crime if one of the officer was to interrogate her. “They just make me feel guilty” the poor thing kept muttering. On the plane I had filled with an ironic smile on my face the regular questionnaire about being an ex Nazi or not, but after standing straight in front of them trying to answer their quiz the best I could, after giving them my finger tips and getting my eye scanned, I had to admit they knew how to make us sweat. I was shaking like a leaf finally passing the finish line, the big banner winking at me above my head “Welcome to the United States of America”. Really?

Inside the beast…

Jefferson Parish is a quiet suburb with an overwhelming white majority, which was mostly spared three years ago by hurricane Katrina. The streets are wide and planted, everybody knows their neighbors and children run free from garden to garden. Bill and Maggie B. have been married for 41 years. She came from Honduras as a child and got married at 19 years old to a man not much older than her, the son of an Alabaman farmer back in the country after two years of service in South Germany. At that time, he says, Americans were loved all around Europe. Together they raised four children and never left New Orleans. Bill has retired from his building company and they have been enjoying a quiet life in their lovely bungalow. They say they especially learnt to appreciate what they have after Bill’s heart surgery ten years ago, which cost them at the time around $25000. “There are clearly some big problems to deal with in our health system, concedes Miss Maggie. We have always paid for private insurance but were left with the bill of the surgery, it doesn’t make any sense.” But despite this tragic state of things, the public national health plan proposed by Sen. Obama doesn’t receive their enthusiastic response. As they explain, Americans don’t want the government to stick its nose in their private affairs by imposing on everyone the same basic health system that seems to them like an invasion of their personal freedom. They want to choose, they want to decide for themselves. They are after all the country based on self-reliance and individual liberty.

Bill and Maggie have worked their whole life and are proud of their achievement. They both started with nothing and are understandably grateful to their country to have given them the opportunity to raise a family and keep a business going for over 30 years. Even if they have recently lost a considerable amount of money in the ongoing financial crisis, they keep their chin up, happy to own their home and sure of their strength as a family and as a people. Whatever happens on 4th November, they strongly believe the World will keep on spinning and Americans will stand together as they have always done through history. Although we differ on many points their life experience allows them to have an open mind on the future of their nation and more widely on what Europe might think of America. In a bizarre twist the same cannot be said about their children: Ted, Billy, Pam and Amanda. Their age ranks between 38 and 26, they all have children of their own and feel strongly against Obama whom they see as a “socialist”, a “Marxist”, and in the heat of the discussion, a “terrorist”. According to them – and as it will turn out, to 42% of the population -nothing good will come out of an Obama state. “An Obamination” as everyone choruses around. Obama is not an option in that part of the city as you could guess from the little boards hanging on car windows alongside the “I love Jesus” sticker. They don’t know him, they don’t trust him, they fear him. And more than his ideas of a fairer world, I ultimately do have the feeling they are scared by his difference: different background, different experience, different way to address the public, and in a way a different color of skin. It is not said and they might not be aware of it but many of their statements start with expressions like “I am not a racist but…” or “ I have many Black friends but…” or again “There are many wonderful Black people but…” which are usually good reverse indicators of the person’s state of mind on the matter. Racism hasn’t unfortunately only one face and it can take many shapes among a society. And the most dangerous one is probably not the violent obvious side of it represented by a short percentage of very small-minded people that can be easily contained. The real threat stands in the Sunday racism, people who don’t even realize they make a difference between skin colors. But if they tell you an anecdote they will automatically specify when a character involved is black. They would prefer to walk to the next carriage if the one they’re in has a majority of Black people. They will tighten their grip on their handbag in certain neighborhoods. They don’t do it consciously, but they still do it. It is not obvious and instantly damageable but it undermines most western societies.

What is terrorism?

As Obama appears to be such an outsiders with so many mysterious corners, the only way he could reach such a stage in the campaign according to the B. family is the unconditional support of the national media in a general agreement protecting some dark secrets from the general public: is he actually American? Didn’t he mention his Muslim faith in an interview? What about his illegal aunt in Boston he had no idea about? What other explanation for the worldwide support he has received since defeating Hillary Clinton? More generally they don’t trust this new comer whose promise to change America doesn’t inspire them as much as the medals painfully earned on John McCain’s uniform. Every morning the local newspapers are full of editorials developing Obama’s questionable associations with ex terrorist Bill Ayers. As a last resort to push up the polls, John McCain reunites with a fight he refused to take on back in spring when Obama’s relations with ex Weatherman Bill Ayers and his eccentric Reverend Jeremiah Wright were brought up. In April John McCain declared these accusations had nothing to do in the campaign, but once desperate for voters a few days away from the actual election he seemed not to be so picky anymore on his angles of attack. Well of course these relations are not without raising questions and bringing nuances to Obama’s character. But first of all actions and words have to be put back in their historical, social and political context. Yes, Bill Ayers took part in the bombing of several public buildings in a protest against the Vietnam War and fighting in favor of the civil rights. These were and still are good causes. This was probably not the best way of protesting as it could have turned really nasty but after all who are we to judge? What else could have been done? Facing an apathetic world that was more likely to turn a blind eye on these issues out of personal comfort, a minority decided to wake up the public by taking explosive measures. Bill Ayers never killed anyone, unlike the American government that was slaughtering civilians in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia while he was just blowing up an empty police station. He never apologized or felt sorry for what he did in the 70s. But why should he repent about ideas and ideals he had at that time of great turmoil? So on this ground, why should Obama be feared for his relations with a man who fought hard for an ideal that was considered at the time as terrorist? The means were indeed questionable, not his believes. Lets just remember people fighting in the Resistance underground movements during WWII were presented on the news of an occupied Europe as terrorists: killing people, bombing bridges and railways, people you should have been fearing according to the mainstream. But a few years later and up to nowadays they are considered as heroes. No one would even think of reproaching them their crimes, their kills and their tortures because it was for a cause recognized afterwards as “good” by the society. As for Rev. Jeremiah Wright, his words have been well manipulated by the same medias Republicans accuse to be running for the Democrats. All this “God damn America” controversy has been completely amputated from its context and if you listen carefully to the whole sermon it does actually make good sense. It might offend lots of American patriots, but it does make good sense: his whole point was that after two centuries of aggressive behavior – eradication of Native Americans, slavery, invasive worldwide politics, economical and financial bullying, illegal wars… – the tragic events of Sept.11 didn’t come across as a big surprise. After the primary shock of these attacks many analysts alongside Rev. Jeremiah Wright concluded that after putting as it seemed all their efforts into becoming the most hated country in the world, the United States of America were just harvesting the fruits of their previous mistakes. Violence calls violence. Hate calls hate. And following this thought Wright addresses the audience calling for peace and understanding. He is of course not the best politically correct acquaintance you wish for your candidate and more than once his words seem to take him to the extremity of the political spectrum but he is however far from the evil character portrayed by the medias.

Religion, UFOs and prejudices…

Back in the shade of their living-room, after Ted stated confidently that health should be a privilege and not a right, the discussion drifts lazily from one subject to another, leaving me on the side of the road as I prefer to back off and let them talk, listening in bafflement. On global warming: another conspiracy to bring America on its knees. The idea of changing attitude towards the daily use of gas, petrol and electricity is a big no-go: they are paying for it and this is enough to entitle them to waste as much energy as they wish. No step backwards should be considered by this nation of consumerists ready to defend their individual rights at gunpoint. On religion: still a huge part of their life even if they prove to be very much confused about the whole thing. They wouldn’t mind voting for an atheist candidate – or so they say – but raise their eyebrows when I announce I am not even baptized. They believe in God but include in the same conversation their thoughts on UFOs and Little Greys living among us. They revere Jesus’ teachings but don’t really want their minuscule Presbyterian congregation to merge into its next-door neighbor, Hispanic in majority. And by the way do I really believe that my ancestors were monkeys in a tree? Because they are not so sure about it anymore. I was taught at school about the Unites States of America as a melting pot where a flag and a same idealism had built bridges between individuals. But all I seemed to witness a few days before the election – once again in a small suburb of a very peculiar Southern state – was just a sum of communities looking at each other over a fence of stereotypes and prejudices. The Whites, the Blacks, the Chinese, the Hispanics, the Presbyterian, the Baptists, the Catholics, the Evangelists, the Southern States, the Northern States, the Blue Democrats and the Red Republicans.

People here seem afraid of change. Obama frightens them because he is way over his time for the country. And he is done with the image of an over-powerful flawless America. He recognized its weaknesses, its mistakes, and that seems unacceptable for the people who still consider their country as the best in the world. A country built as a challenge, a country where everything was supposed to be possible. A country of opportunity, unity, freedom. A country that would set an example to the world that banished the early settlers. “Without the USA the whole world would be communist”, Bill reminds to me. Now it is clear: these Americans surely live deep in the past, in a black and white world where Manichaeism was such an easy option. You were good or evil, American or Red, with them or against them. I want to tell them that even back in the 60s the facts were not so obvious and the USA sweated their own kind of fascism by hunting down Communists of their own in a terrorizing witch hunt. Are they even aware their country offered asylum to Nazi scientists to benefit from their horrific knowledge. Not so black and white anymore…

Going to vote then buying a gun

Deep in the heart of Republican America, I still feel strong on my belief Barack Obama will bring something new, something fresh and above all that his eventual election will send a huge message to the world. However traveling to America made me realize the national issues raised by a new presidential crew, issues we have no clue nor interest about on the other side of the Atlantic. Health, national security, taxes, education, employment… these are no centre of interests for us as all we care about relates to international politics: two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, development of renewable energies, diplomatic relations with new threatening powers such as Iran, North Korea or even China. We are looking for a strong international message, they are awaiting for internal reassurance. And what not so many people know on our side of the world is that on election day not only will they vote for their next president but they will as well cast polls regarding their local community and their own State’s politics. So there is definitely much more to them as just changing the top guy. In a way it is true that our medias tend to have supported forever, if not Obama, the Democrats. Maybe we have been as well misled and turned a blind eye on some more nuanced sides of Obama’s personality, his aspirations, his motivations, his past, his acquaintances. But the same could be said from this fringe of the population who is ready to bite on any bad-mouthed rumors and turn it into a fundamental truth to get their way into the debate. The American people can’t be taken as well out of its context, outside its history which is generally badly understood outside their borders. They can’t think the way we do, and vice versa however we expect them to see the world through our own eyes…and so do they.

On 4th November the local stadium’s club-house has been turned into a polling office and a small line of neighbors slowly sign up for the big day. They don’t want to admit an early defeat but most people around shake their head in disbelief. “Of course I voted McCain but I think thanks to the medias we might well have to deal with the other one for the next four years”, mumbles one of the voters. A broody young man with wide tattooed arms discusses with an elder the age of voting that should be brought up to 25 instead of 18. According to him if this election turns out to be an Obama victory this will be the fault of the horde of new young voters, the students under the influence of university preachers turning their heads towards the wrong direction, not knowing anything about the world surrounding them. It will be as well the fault of the Black community voting for a color instead of ideas. It will be the fault of all these Americans not living in their country and perverted by international press. The young man is fuming and leaves shortly, announcing he is going to purchase a new gun to “face the music”. Many people actually predict riots in case of a Democrat success. No wonder I feel a bit tensed as I join Bill and Maggie in their living-room for the evening of truth. Of course our eyes are riveted to Fox News, the “only decent channel” as they precise, i.e. clearly Republican. The wait was long but the wait was worth it. Obama took the lead quickly and kept it until he reached 297 electoral votes and there was no possible turning back. There was a long and heavy silence and I felt terribly alone, unable to hug anyone on this historical moment. Then Bill stood up, mumbled a vague “Good night” and disappeared into the corridor. I stayed up a bit longer with Miss Maggie for both McCain and Obama speeches. She couldn’t say really how she was feeling, unhappy of her candidate’s defeat but well aware of the importance of the moment. Indeed “change has come to America”.

A new dawn

The next morning I woke up in a better world. I woke up in an America that had overcome its fear of difference, its fear of the past, its fear of its future. We had tried so hard to turn a blind eye on the race issue and focus on the man rather than his skin. But we had fooled ourselves as this, if not as big as expected during the campaign, took all its proportions in the results. And electing a black man as President of the United States of America got on this very day a meaning that we probably wouldn’t be able to realize before many years to come. Certainly we have entered a new era where we no longer stare into America’s eyes with a look of disdain and non-understanding but where we reach for it in an overwhelming feeling of hope and trust. The previous night the “greatest country in the world” turned out to be exactly that. The land of democracy, liberty and opportunity, ready to take a chance on difference. Barack Obama represents in the eyes of Americans an alternative to the misery they have been experiencing for almost a decade, a light at the other end of the tunnel. “The road will be long and the climb will be steep” he said to his people but once again united they stand behind their new leader, ready for a bumpy ride if it means getting the country out of the ditch it has been digging for too much of a long time. He talked about education, about health, about economy, about ecology, about war, about putting people back to work. He promised to make his country a better place and for once in a long time a politician sounded believable. “I will listen to you, especially when we disagree”. This is a strong statement not only to his fellow citizens but as a message to the world, a message of opening, a promise of understanding and dialogue, an end to the traditional politics of aggression the country has been leading since the beginning of the cold war. It means reaching for your hand, it means working together on global issues, it means being friends again. A few days later gun sales had skyrocketed, Ted’s wife announced proudly she had bought two new weapons to protect her family and a Black church was burnt to the ground in Boston. Obviously this election in itself is not the change everyone expects: it is the opportunity to make this change happens, the best opportunity of all. Republicans like the B. family are stubborn and fearful but they will eventually get on with it and Barack Obama will be a president for all. There will be no second American revolution and hopefully if no lunatic puts an early end to his duty even the strongest opinionated “shall overcome”. That is what they have always done, and that is what they will do once more, whatever disappointment 42% of the population feel after the results. In this I feel the strength and the glory of America. Yes the road is long and the climb is steep, but it feels like everyone has embarked on the same boat to fight for a better future. Unlike France or the UK which feel like such divided and somewhat uninterested nations, America keeps in its heart this energy to stand up from its ashes and start a new chapter. There is a true movement of its people with everyone involved in the events that will mark the World forever. And this formidable push gives me hope for the future. So no matter what, my spirits are high, I am proud of America on this 5th November 2008 and can’t wait to go out and play with her again.