AMERICA IS THE FUTURE*
*APPLICABLE TO AUSTRALIA, CANADA AND NZ TO
A LESSER DEGREE
Why do I think so?
After many years of intermittent
relationship with US of A, living in a country which they claim to be an Enemy
and working with a native population which does not hold a very high opinion of
them?
1.
Because it is evolving
2.
Not stuck to historic or
religious vehemence
3.
Open minded
4.
Acceptance of the OTHER…
diversity
5.
Giving Dignity to the OTHER
An example of the last was at the bar/resto
of the Marriott Hotel near the Washington Airport where I was forced to spend a
night (courtesy of United Airlines) because of flight delays. The food server
was an elderly lady, seemed to be a Chinese Filipino. She was not servile, had
her head up in the air with pride at work well done. She has been taught and demands
Respect, not being treated as a subordinate because of her current position in
life. Are you interested in her story?
Second Example: At the United Airlines Club
at the Washington Airport, an elderly white American Lady with years of
experience in this business showing in her face with thinning hair, which may
have been flaming red during another time, that fire red hair now limp, as if
waiting for retirement.
I had just arrived on a flight from
Amsterdam and I am on my way to the Indians. She painstakingly looks through
all the possibilities for my onward travel. She suggests and then finds a hotel
near the airport, books it as courtesy and then confirms my flight for the next
day, all the times, being calm and collected and not showing any sort of
resentment or superiority.
When it comes to customer service, few
other countries can hold the candle to the USA
Can you imagine an Air France agent doing
this for you in Paris?
Air India?
Malaysian Airlines?
This lady was middle class, white, middle
aged, frail; friendly is one of the mosaics of this nation but no longer the
prominent face of America.
Next morning, Tomas the driver is at the
lobby of the hotel waiting to take the guests to the airport. He has been in
the USA for 25 years, from Usulután in El Salvador, since then millions have
come here from Central America. He does not exhibit the aloofness of the
immigrants to Europe, but exudes warmth and hospitality.
Who gave him his smile?
While the Europeans seems to be bent on
taking the smile away from the immigrants (with notable exceptions such as
Belgium, comes to mind), USA gives them back their lost smiles, the poor
immigrants with their tired feet and hearts full of dreams.
The Jewish people do well in countries that
are evolving. I had always wondered why the Jews leave countries when they were
in the forefront of change in them, but they leave as they realize that the new
regimes changed what was there but were not willing to evolve with the times
and the people. Why did they leave Chile? Cuba? Brazil? Argentina? To give a
few regional examples.
Why have they done well, so well, in USA,
Australia, Canada to give examples of evolving countries that move with the
times, rather than hark back to a golden era of the past?
As Rabbi Chefitz of Temple Beth Israel said
in his TedTorah talks: Judaism is an evolving religion, rather than believing
blindly what is written down 2000 years ago, on going commentaries are allowed
which gives opposing views a chance and also allows the mind to remain open and
not closed.
Bernard Lewis that eminent historian of the
middle east had hypothesized that the Arab and Moslem hatred of America comes
from this inability to accept changes from a mind-set of a millennium and half,
whereas America, like the Jewish people, would accept that this once
predominantly WHITE nation would soon be BROWN, as the native Indians had
predicted and there is no great opposition to the acceptance of this truth.
So it is only natural that Jews and other
evolving people flourish in a country like USA.
I have always wondered why some people and
nationalities do well in the USA and others don't. Cubans have done very well,
whereas Puerto Ricans less so, Dominicans even less, Mexicans lesser even.
Another curious fact to observe is that,
Muslims coming from India don't do as well as the Hindus coming from India.
Lebanese Christians have done well whereas it cannot be said that of many other
Arabs. It may be that some nationalities have congruous belief systems with the
central theme of America?
Look at a narrow minded, anti evolutionary
country like Malaysia, where they have taken religious beliefs back centuries.
If the Chinese are present in that country, the whole country could easily be
turned into a lifeless cemetery of non-innovation.
Why are the Arabs not excelling in any
field that requires innovation, such as Technology, science and even
literature?
Evolving, as current day Brasil is
demonstrating, you progress, when the country progresses, all the people benefit,
not just the Ayatollahs or the Malay Elites, but the entire population. Brasil
has done a fantastic job of pulling a large number of people out of poverty,
much to the credit of Lula; there are 15 per cent less poor people in Brasil
today. It has nothing to do with ideology as he is a socialist but he listened
to the advice of people who are in touch with the modern world.
Where do people who have innovative ideas go?
China?
India?
No, Sir, even the Chinese and the Indians fast
track themselves to USA or Canada or Australia!
And they are well received.
In the past ten to twenty years, we have
witnesses the rise and fall of Spain; narrow-minded France is heading towards
mediocrity.
In the UK, when they relinquished its
imperial design and mind set, once again they are on their way up.
In the 12 hours I was in Washington DC,
airport area, I was greeted and talked to, Somali bus drivers, pleasant
exchanges with Salvadorian migrants working at hotels and an elderly Asian lady
proudly waiting at tables at the resto. Also, Black Americans with dignity,
walking proudly, well tailored clothes at the airport in this country that
elected a Black President. Agents at the United Check in counter who were as
cheerful as the sunny day outside.
Now sitting at seat 4 B, To Chicago and on
to the Indians. Happy to be in America.
