One Can Try
Growing up in the USA during the 1950s I learned that politics was taboo and an unacceptable subject for conversation. At home we sometimes talked about it but without any serious passion. Our system is to elect our representatives and sit back and let them do their job. Naively, we think they will protect our interests and the interests of the country. Of course, this is not how politicians work. However, due to this strange concept the American public has been sliding into complacency for decades now. However, my deeper fear is that a dreadful erosion of America’s political system has taken place as well. Periodically, however, they become frustrated and angry, as happened at this mid-term election, and demand change.
I hope that Americans do get a change, but I hope for far more. I hope that they become concerned with and talk about political realities; that they become aware of the decisions that their elected representatives make and hold them accountable. That they understand the local, national, and international issues at stake and debate them before they take action; and that they search for the information they need when their media fails them.
I have been exposed to endless political discussions since I came to live in Jordan. Jordanians have no social embarrassment about talking politics. They are politically aware because the decisions of other governments affect them daily. There is a horrific refugee problem in their midst and devastating armed conflicts which continue to destroy their neighbors. Living here has made me more aware of American policies and politics than I would be if I had stayed in the States. Unlike Jordanians and many others in the world, the daily life of the average American is removed from politics. How tragic that is when ultimately he is responsible for the actions of his country!
Because of this, I feel a personal obligation to email articles and websites with information that I think my family and friends should be aware of. I know this isn’t much, and probably some on my email list find my eagerness to inform a nuisance, but I need to try to grow politically and to do a better job than my family and the society of my youth did for me.
ASH
I hope that Americans do get a change, but I hope for far more. I hope that they become concerned with and talk about political realities; that they become aware of the decisions that their elected representatives make and hold them accountable. That they understand the local, national, and international issues at stake and debate them before they take action; and that they search for the information they need when their media fails them.
I have been exposed to endless political discussions since I came to live in Jordan. Jordanians have no social embarrassment about talking politics. They are politically aware because the decisions of other governments affect them daily. There is a horrific refugee problem in their midst and devastating armed conflicts which continue to destroy their neighbors. Living here has made me more aware of American policies and politics than I would be if I had stayed in the States. Unlike Jordanians and many others in the world, the daily life of the average American is removed from politics. How tragic that is when ultimately he is responsible for the actions of his country!
Because of this, I feel a personal obligation to email articles and websites with information that I think my family and friends should be aware of. I know this isn’t much, and probably some on my email list find my eagerness to inform a nuisance, but I need to try to grow politically and to do a better job than my family and the society of my youth did for me.
ASH
posted by joladies at Thursday, November 09, 2006
3 Comments:
Wow! A time when Americans didn't care about politics!! I am an American and have always been encouraged to talk politics, in and out of the home. Maybe in the 1950s things were different. The citizens had just struggled through a great depression and World War. Maybe they wanted to be happy and relax. However, I was born in 1979 and have never, never known a time when politics wasn't discussed and my politicians weren't criticized! In fact, at times I get tired of politics. Things have definately changed since the 1950s!
I was born just after the depression and remember World War II quite well. My experience was as I described it. Even last summer when I visited the States, talking politics wasn't very high on the agenda socially. Maybe it's a Mid-western WASP thing. Regardless the subject certainly never reached the addictive, obessive pitch that I find in Jordan. ASH
lol anonymous must have been looking forward to be a page hence the anomally (well too sarcastic i think)
I lived in the mid-west in what should be the most active segment of society in political perspective (i.e . students and professors)
its definetly non existant, tell me in comparison the ratio of the people 18- 30 that can tell you the latest major news internationally to the people who can tell you the latest score of their states team (and here you have to pick from their college basketball and footbal(if they r conservative fans that is) NBA and NFL. plus in the off-season for those you have MLB to pick from) add to that the mind dreanching reality shows plague. plus the indoctrined lack of local news never mind international (when is the last time anyone cared who got shot in what neighborhood "unless its the priviledge whites" since that would translate to real estate price drops.
:D blah disjointed but that is the american reality
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