I Believe American Ideals Are Worth Defending

With my mother’s family being comprised of a number of zealous Texan republicans, and my father, having come from nothing and tactfully advanced himself through the ranks of society through his own hard work and determination, I was evidently raised with belief that there was not greater collection of people or place on earth than the American citizenry and the United States of America. It was the land of endless opportunities.
However, when the twin towers were hit on September 11th, 2001 panic and chaos filled the air. I instantly received an email from May Hamza making sure I was alright and expressing her great concern from my family and my country in this most terrifying hour of my country’s history. May and I had become outstanding friends while attending Gourdonstoun, a Scottish boarding school outside of Inverness, the previous summer. May was half Saudi Arabian and half Egyptian, but spent the majority of her youth being raised in Cairo. It was an exceptional moment in my life, to have a dear friend half a world away reach out to me in this time of my nation’s crisis. I suddenly did not feel as alone. My contact with May throughout the day not only reminded me how special our friendship was, and how special it was that she cared, it reminded me just how much I needed her. Needed her not only to laugh and share the good times, but also needed her to overcome the difficult challenges and trials of life. These events sparked the realization within me that although the United States is a great country, it too needs its friends, especially in these dark and trying hours.
While studying abroad nearly two years later at the Tasis boarding school, on the outskirts of London, England my views of America were once again changed. It was during my studies abroad in England that America invaded Iraq and went to war as an aggressor nation. I was stunned, disheartened, and disenchanted with the American dream. I had always perceived the United States as being an international peace keeper, unnecessarily generous and empathetic with struggling foreign populations. This was the first time I witnessed America contradict its core values, blatantly go against everything genuine and respectable that it had long since stood for, and act out of selfishness and short term self-interest rather than doing what was morally right. This was true American hypocrisy at its very worst. With roughly 70 percent of the Tasis student body not possessing American citizenship we had countless heated debates over American politics and the state of world affairs during this time, this occurred particularly in the case of my American history class. There were only about twelve of us in the class: three Nigerians, two American expats, one Saudi, one Russian, one Turk, one Brit, and one Japanese. My teacher Mrs. Willondek organized a class discussion on whether or not we supported the United States decision to invade Iraq. I wanted to rise up to the defense of the United States in my history classes but I couldn’t because my own personal standards and expectations of the United States had been violated. Instead I recall having taken great pride in boldly denouncing the recent actions taken by the United States government in front of my class. I wanted to regain my classmates’ respect, by proving to them that not all Americans approved of the U.S. government’s current hostile and brash foreign policies.
Much to my astonishment after having done so my friend Tarik from Saudi Arabia, spoke up against me and began to defend the actions of the United States, and it was through his eyes that I was truly able to see the impact and extent of the influence of my country. The fact that a middle easterner would understand and respect actions of aggression by the United States against a fellow Middle Eastern country helped me to see that the world is much more complicated than I perceived it to be. My defensive reactions based on the values of my nation have merit, but must be put in context with the world’s circumstances.
Another instance in which my disdain for America was further enhanced was when I learned that Ufuck, a close friend of mine, was forced to leave Tasis and return to Turkey to serve in the national draft as a direct response to the United States’ military invasion of Iraq. I remember being utterly confused why for two days Ufuck had refused to speak to me in the dining hall at breakfast before school, in the walk ways between classes, or our evening study hall. It was not until his girlfriend and my suitemate Leticia approached me and explained to me what had happened. I was overwhelmed by a flood of mixed emotions that had just come crashing down over me. I felt personally guilty for what was happening to my friend. It was an unfair and undeserved punishment to impose on him. This was not his fight and as such was a problem that should not be resolved at the cost of his own life. In addition to the enormous amount of fear and concern I felt for Ufuck’s own wellbeing I felt indescribable burning resentment for my country and the burden of my own citizenship to the United States of America.
I did not just disagree with some of my government’s decisions. I was no longer proud of being an America. Moreover, in all truthfulness, I had no interest in remaining an American citizen. Not only could I not trust the U.S. government to make the right decisions, I did not trust them to be honest with myself or the rest of the American people after it had done nothing but present us with an endless stream of excuses and lies as a means of justifying its past actions. However, for the first time in my adult life I believe there may be hope for America.
Listening to President-Elect Barack Obama deliver his acceptance speech confidently and compassionately my eyes swelled with tears. I had not expected his election to the presidential office nor the words he would speak on the evening of November 4th, 2008 to have such a profound effect me, but they did. He did not insult the intellect of the American people by bombarding us with excuses, nor did he manipulate our hopes by employing poetic words to make empty promises about the next four years. He was direct and knowledgeable. He acknowledged that the reputation of America and our much celebrated American values has fallen from the esteemed level it once held. He made it clear that repairing American image and our role abroad will not be achieved overnight, nor will it be any small feat. Such a transformation will not only require much sacrifice and determination on behalf of the American government, but by individuals of the American citizenry as well. I am to commit myself to achieving this change, and not only to the restoration but also the enactment of the American dream. I now believe American ideals are worth defending.