Last October, Chris and I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Australia and New Zealand for her work. Both countries were wonderful – New Zealand was especially physically awe inspiring – and we felt so lucky to be able to experience these very different cultures. As we interacted with people, they immediately understood that were not from either country, so they asked us, over and over again; Are You Canadian? This took us by surprise every time; neither one of sounds remotely Canadian. And it wasn’t that we were insulted – Canadians have a great reputation for being good and kind people. So, we would ask them why they thought this, and they would, rather sheepishly, say, “Because you’re so polite.” It made me pause.
We Americans are an interesting, good, and diverse people, but the idea of the Ugly American has been with us for longer than I have been alive. I used to hear people talk about it when I was young, and when I would ask what that meant, most people (Americans) would laugh it off as nothing. If we were honest, we would admit that we can be a demanding, privileged bunch. We are used to getting what we want and will keep going until we get it. I have seen this behavior firsthand; one time, we were trying to rent a car in a French-speaking island, and we had a good-natured interaction with a number of people at different businesses as we navigate their systems. We went to the bank to exchange money, and when we returned to the car rental company, the manager was struggling to understand a group of demanding Americans trying to rent a car. This man spoke perfect English with us, and as we walked up to get our key, he winked at us and continued to act as if he didn’t understand our language with this other group. From their conversation, it seemed that they were being ugly Americans, saying things like, “Do you talk American?” He was having none of it.
After we were attacked on 9/11, the world opened its hearts, arms, and wallets to us. In the same way that we have been generous in so many instances, people all over the world returned the favor. In recent years, we have changed. Instead of being one of the good guys, many of our allies are viewing us as something quite different. The goodwill we received 25 years ago seems to have disappeared, and it is largely our fault. I love this country, but I don’t love how we have behaved in recent years. As we take time tomorrow to remember the tragic events of 25 years ago, when the world completely changed, I hope we will pause and reconsider who we have become. It doesn’t have to be this way, but we are the only ones who can change ourselves. We can be respectful once again. We can transform from being ugly to being kind and respectful. There’s nothing wrong with getting what we want out of life, as long as we aren’t disrespectful in the process. We are, I think, up to the task.
Prayer – Holy God, may the words of our mouths match the feelings of our hearts and minds as we treat each other with respect. Amen.
Today’s art is the book cover from the 1958 critique of American foreign policy in SE Asia.