Tuesday, November 10, 2009

A Foreign Perspective of Americans

I'm sure you've heard that statistic that 70% (or some such figure) of the US population couldn't point to Iraq on a map. Now the veracity of that statistic is debatable, I'm sure this applies to segments of our population, but I doubt that we are collectively that bad. Unfortunately, foreign perception holds the statistic to be true as I would witness. I was sitting in a bar in Ho Chi Minh the first night speaking with British ESL teachers (English as a Second Language). We began discussing politics and I made the statement I probably would not be living in the United States in ten years. They asked why, and I responded that I disagree with many of the policies and practices of the United States, both internationally and domestically. Invariably this led to the war in Iraq. At this point they asked me if I knew where Iraq was. I was taken aback, of course I knew where Iraq is. None the less, they were serious. I didn't have a map available, but I pointed to the table and said if this area is Europe, and beneath is Africa. The Mediterranean sea is below, then we have Israel, Jordon, Saudi etc and Iraq is basically right here. At this point one of the men genuinely turned to me and thanked me for opening his eyes. He was of the assumption that as a general rule most Americans did not know where Iraq was on a map. He was shocked.

Over the course of my travels this is my first experience like this one. I am still surprised and hope it was an isolated incident. None the less, to some degree that perception of America exists. As most of you know I'm not the biggest supporter of America as a whole, but I hope we are better than that; I believe we are better than that.

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