I thought about some stuff, and I wrote some of those thoughts down. In all
haste, but still:
For the US citizens of this forum - a forum that I hold in the highest
regard, and that I really care about how things are going in, the tone,
level of discussion etc - I would like to say this:
I was two years old when the Berlin wall fell. I have never experienced the
a-bomb fear, the red fear, or anything like that. But when I was quite
young, I like many Europeans started to form some idea of what the US was. I
remember reading a book when I was about 15 about The American Dream - as I
recall, the book stated that this was from the beginning never really
defined and could thus be used in numerous different ways. But the word
freedom was always present somehow, and I quite liked that word.
Now, a year ago, I read a doctoral thesis called "Americanitis - america as
a sicness or a cure, Swedish tales [something]" (can't remember the whole
title) It's basically about the view on America that Swedish emigrants had
in the 1800ds (what made them go there and so on) and the views that emerged
among those who stayed home etc.
The book showed something that I can confirm thought my own experience,
namely that the idea of America is quite important to us. It is in no way
that we have an idea of the US as a perfect country that we would like to be
(though I guess some do) or anything like that - I think the idea is quite
separate from the actual US as such. But the idea, that can vary, weather it
be one of a place of freedom, progressiveness, innovation, or whatever - the
idea is important to us. The thing about that idea being very loosely
defined (like the American dream) has made it a Dynamic inspiration.
And for the last 8 years George W Bush has been the face of that idea.
During the majority of my true intellectual development (one phase of it
anyway) I have looked at the US and seen, not possibilities, not
progressiveness, not freedom, but stupidity, arrogance and injustice.
Freedom especially became hollow. Freedom from what? Freedom to what? To me
it seemed that the answer would have to be "freedom from reason, freedom to
live in ignorance".
I didn't fully realize how deeply depressed the tainting of that original
idea had at times made me until November 5 2008.
The taint will never fully go away, and in truth I am glad that I can
properly see how hollow word like freedom and justice can be. I know better
what they mean to me now anyway, and The Good fight that I would want to
fight in the name of these things would be one to restore Sweden to what it
was and could have been as a true "peoples-home" and the best country in the
world; my nationalism (not patriotism, apparently it doesn't apply for
monarchies) is based on what we the people do for each other here, what we
make our country into, and if that is something to be pound of, THEN I will
sing the national anthem with joy in my heart. I hope for that.
And about that idea, that inspiration, I am glad to tell you - some of it is
back now. Thanks' to people like Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, Bill Hicks,
Senator Bernie Sanders, The MOQ Americans on this forum, Barak Obama and all
those who voted for him for all the right reasons.
"And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in
America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the
times we were told that we can't; and the people who pressed on with that
American creed: 'Yes, we can.'
However corny that could sound, those words brought tears to this young
cynics eyes. Perhaps you can understand why now.
Regards
Christoffer
PS: a special thanks to Marsha for introducing me to Bernie Sanders chenck
out this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gahEd7TzkTM&feature=channel_page
DS
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