When I was seventeen, I had this conviction that my high school was better than yours. I held this cherished belief even though Vacaville kicked our asses in wrestling every year (metaphorically, because even though you drag your opponent’s elbow against his testicles, no kicking is allowed) and cross-town rival Armijo sent their best students to MIT and Stanford while we were shuffling ours off to state schools. Fortunately I’ve outgrown this childhood notion, and even though UCI has one of the coolest mascots (though not as cool as UCSC’s banana slugs), I identify myself more as human being first, and American, Japanese, Californian, and UC Irvinian secondish.
I think that having granddads who fought on opposite sides tempers any inclinations that I might have had towards jingoism (can’t answer for my brothers, though). That and national pride that irrationally promotes one country as morally and militarily superior to others seems no more mature than schoolyard braggadocio: “My mom (country) can kick your dad (country’s) ass!” What the world needs are humble nations (via humble citizenry) who are willing to learn from one another.
Don’t get me wrong. I like both of my countries of origin. I sometimes get all weepy singing the Star Spangled Banner (even if I don’t hold my hand over my heart during the pledge), but I feel the same when I hear Kimi ga Yo, Japan’s anthem with imperialist undertones. The battling samurai of the warring states period of Japan are as much a part of my heritage as Virginia tobacco planters, and I don’t disown the Yamato clan that pushed back the white-skinned Ainu to frozen Hokkaido any more than I cast off my Remy ancestors who followed the frontier from Ohio to Wisconsin to Kansas, probably displacing the Native American inhabitants, whose own ancestors came from Asia ages ago.
They have a rocky history, but I’d like to think that things are getting better over time (think of us as driving uphill in a clunker that keeps stalling). From the 20,000 meter perspective, both countries are good places to be in terms of prosperity and freedom (though other places often do better). I mean, you can get away with this in the US:
(It’s ironic to me that those who would proclaim the US as superlative in its freedoms would be among the first to deprive this man of his right to express himself.)
So, on this anniversary of the birth of the U. S. of A., I hope that the Americans reading this can temper their national pride with a little humility. Light fireworks, drink alcohol and express nationalism in responsible moderation.
6 responses so far ↓
1 wren // Jul 4, 2008 at 12:28 pm
I blogged some of my thoughts on the 4th today, too. I have to say, I found last weekend’s massive Pride Fest here in the twin cities one of the best examples of what’s good and right and progressive in this country and I loved it!
2 Elaine // Jul 4, 2008 at 1:30 pm
John, I absolutely think the “fighting on both sides” bit of the equation has something to do with how you look at the world.
In World War I, I had a grandfather on each side (US and Germany), and in World War II my father (as I think I’ve probably mentioned before here) was in the US Army Air Force (as it was called then) and spent nearly two years as a “guest” (POW) of the Germans, while some of his cousins were in the Germany army (no idea how they felt about that, by the way…I don’t know any of that part of the family, although some of my cousins have met some of them). And while the FBI had the rest of the family here under surveillance because they were German immigrants and therefore suspect, just as an aside.
Consequently, I have a lot of trouble with the whole “my country is better than the other countries” thing, although I too usually cannot get through the national anthem without getting misty-eyed. I think that is because I know that my dad’s father chose to bring my grandmother and my dad here after the WWI experience. And although I am of the opinion that the proper national anthem should be Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land” rather than the too-warlike “Star-Spangled Banner” or excessively religious-image-invoking “America the Beautiful”.
3 xJane // Jul 7, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I was thinking of doing a Corinthians-inspired ‘“when I was a child” I had faith in my country like a child’ post. I really did have a huge amount of belief in the fact that my country was the best, freeist, most awesomest country evar! I didn’t think that meant that we needed to invade other places, or that other places were bad…
When I moved to Germany, lines started blurring. We often banded together in self-segregated nationality-based groups. (Like the Aussie/Brits who wanted to start a cricket team; or the Yank/Canadians who wanted to have a prom.) Our nationality became an integral part of our identities, since it was one of the few things that we could differentiate (sample first conversation: “Where are you from? […response…] Really? Cool! How do you say [insert explative] in your language?” Ah, high school.
The Clinton-Lewinsky scandal broke while I was there, causing many of us to be a little quieter about our nationality. My best (American) friend and I would sit on Marianplatz and drink Bier and play “spot the American”, which we never found ironic. We knew better than to be loud, obnoxious Americans in public (although we did throw some pretty loud and obnoxious parties, I think that was more a function of age and alcohol than of nationality).
All of these loosened my need to be American above all else. By the time I started voting, I felt Bavarian more than anything. Then, maybe Californian. (Now, I think I feel Green first.) When I saw Fahrenheit 9/11, I went into shock, and couldn’t look at a flag without crying for a good year afterward.
Now…I don’t really know what to think. I like the anthems, in the same way that I like Church hymns. They touch a part of me that isn’t usually touched. But if I think about them too hard, I realize how militaristic, religistic, my-country-right-or-wrong, god-bless-america-and-no-place-else the songs really are, and I start to realize that maybe I shouldn’t be listening to/belting out the Battle Hymn of the Republic (which is still my favorite, esp. when done at a good tempo and not a funereal one) because exposure to it might cause extreme nationalism, uninterrupted appreciation for the Administration, and the desire to join up.
But Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans’ Day, these all give me conflicted feelings. When I was a child, I had faith in my country like a child. But now that I’m a man (wait…), my childish faith has been replaced by adult confusion and confliction. I love the US. I love Germany. I’ve been to Canada & I love it, too. I love fireworks, barbeque, and country music. But I’m not certain what I’m celebrating on any of those days.
4 John // Jul 7, 2008 at 9:24 pm
xJane, that was post-worthy.
5 John // Jul 7, 2008 at 9:27 pm
wren, your post and others (fmhLisa had one at feminist Mormon housewives) set me to thinking and writing. Thank you.
Elaine, I wonder if our family members knew each other? My grampa served in the Army Air Corps part of the Army Air Force, I think.
6 xJane // Jul 8, 2008 at 7:15 am
heh, it was certainly post-length…
I didn’t feel I’d thought it out enough for it to have its own heading. I edit posts more than I edit comments.
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