Friday, August 07, 2020
America, the Legend
America, the Legend
Since 2016 I have been increasingly surprised at how much influence America has around the world. The words of our president have a far greater impact internationally than I suspected. His actions and words are being parroted around the globe by wannabe and existing demagogues who no longer fear retribution from America for their heinous acts, from murder to undermining elections. Our allies shudder in amazement while our enemies take advantage. This is a deeper influence than our economic, military, and cultural wingspan suggests.
How deep our influence reaches was brought into sharp focus for me on a visit to South Africa for a geologic conference in 2001. While touring KwaZulu-Natal the group passed through mostly rural areas with scattered villages and a few sizeable towns. When we made stops along a road to view the local geology, if a village were near, children nearly always assembled near by, curious about what all these foreigners were doing. At one stop, a large group of children had gathered about 30 meters away from our vans. On an impulse I opened my window and extended my myself out while raising both arms high, and shouted "U.S.A.!" Immediately the kids began screaming and laughing and jumping up and down shouting back "U.S.A!" I was surprised at their enthusiastic response and wondered if it would be the same for another country so I did it again but yelled "China!" this time. They stood silent and motionless, looking at me with confused expressions. So I tried "Italy!" Same lack of response. This was stunning, tangible proof that America means something more to the world than military and economic dominance.
Our international standing has always rested on the proverbial 3-legged stool of money, military might, and moral rectitude. Remove one leg and the stool tumbles. Two of the legs, money and military might, are secure for the time being, but the third leg is being attacked from within by persons who are sworn to uphold it. The Constitution is the embodiment of our moral rectitude and is looked upon around the globe as the single strongest buttress of truth and freedom. Born during World War II, my formative years were lived during the heady times of American growth to world dominance and the belief in our rightful position as the beacon of light and moral goodness.
I believed in that goodness right up until we entered the Vietnam War under false pretenses, a lie generated in the Gulf of Tonkin. Trust in our government was, for me, finally obliterated by the murder of four students at Kent State by government forces in 1970. Watergate added a final touch and that the perpetrators were brought to justice was only a temporary balm for our wounded morality. Upending the elected government of Chile in 1973 and the Iran-Contra debacle further cemented my distrust. Then there was the weapons of mass destruction lies that propelled us into the Iraq War that led directly to the destabalization of the entire Middle East and the rise of Al-qaeda and ISIS. And yet, somehow, though shaken, the widespread belief that we were the chosen ones, the city on the hill, prevailed. the election of our first black president served as proof of our overriding goodness and the world rejoiced in amazement. We again, seemingly had surged upward to occupy our rightful place as the world's moral compass.
Then the election of Donald Trump in 2016 blew this myth to pieces. The world looked on in disbelief and amazement as our elected leader and his cohort undermined long held international agreements with allies and cozied up to dictatorial leaders. It was as though your beloved aunt had suddenly gone crazy. His lies and divisive rhetoric now serve as a model for demagogues globally. The third leg of morality on which our country has stood for generations is being severely weakened. The midterm election next week can slow the decline and the 2020 election may halt it but the damage will live on. Repairs will be difficult and time-consuming and hopefully will make us a better country than ever before, perhaps even a true beacon of truth and freedom.
