Old Cairo by KMK

What happened in the past few weeks in Tunisia was a shock for the entire world. Commentators from both West and East had their jaws dropping from the spectacle of what was the Jasmine Revolution that sent Tunisia’s longtime dictator scrambling out of the country. No one expected a popular uprising (especially a successful one) in the Arab world. Not even me.

And now fears and hopes of Revolution are spreading in the Middle East like wildfire. Egyptians are gathering in the streets and they all want one thing: Mubarak out. Syria, before their populace gets too riled up, is clamping down on media outlets and access to internet sites as well as instant messaging services.

My mind wanders back to five short months ago when I took a trip to Egypt to visit friends. Cairo International airport was dirty, dingy, and a hassle to maneuver through — a very sad contrast to the modern and classy Dubai International airport from where I had just left. The impression any visitor will have does little justice to the bustling and colorful metropolis that is Cairo, a city of 20+ million Egyptians. The state of Egypt’s development, or lack thereof, has been blamed upon the current ruling regime by most Egyptians.

As my friend picked me up and welcomed me back to Egypt, our first conversation was about President Hosni Mubarak who has been ruling Egypt under a “state of emergency” since the assassination of his predecessor Anwar Sadat in 1981. “Mubarak is getting old and has been very sick; we’re all waiting to see what happens,” he told me. There were rumors that Mubarak had been preparing his son, Gamal Mubarak, to take over the reins after his demise. This was not what my friend wanted, or any other Egyptian that I talked to. Fortunately, or Unfortunately, Mubarak survived whatever illness he was suffering.

What the Jasmine Revolution of Tunisia did for Egypt was give fuel to the undercurrent of discontent that has been simmering in the Egyptian populace for quite a while. Thousands of Egyptians are now on the streets. If and when Mubarak tries to pass on power to his son, it will not be an easy task.

After seeing images and videos on the news and shared through friends on Facebook, I could feel excitement building in the pit of my stomach. I sent an email to my Cairo-based friend to check in:

KMK: What the hell is going on in Egypt right now? Is everything OK?

FS: Everything’s great, this is an exciting time and I’m so glad I’m here for it. Watch out for Friday, there are going to be huge protests, and I’m going to be there . People have been organizing these protests on facebook and twitter since the whole Tunisia thing, and for once they were actually big enough that the police couldn’t just go in and beat everybody up. It’s never been this big during Mubarak’s regime, so I’m glad because even if we don’t get what we want we know things will never be the same.

KMK: OK. More power to you. I’m sure it’s an exciting time. But, still, be safe.

Since then, Egypt has blocked access to the internet and disabled SMS (text messaging) services. I haven’t heard a peep from my friends in Egypt in the last 12-or-so hours.

As an American it can be difficult not only to understand what’s going on, but how to decide what’s best for the US, US-Egypt relations, and US relations with the Arab world in general. We have no right to decide what’s best for Egypt itself. The US provides something like $1+ billion to Egypt annually; which means we support Mubarak’s regime to stay in power. To put it rather simply, or perhaps very oversimplified, the US supports the Mubarak regime to keep stability in a region where our influence is tenuous and our interests are high.

Needless to say, there are many Egyptians and others in the Arab world who are resentful of the US.

It’s logical for us to support governments that support our interests or at least stay out of our way, and the US does this with many governments that could be viewed as cruel and oppressive. At the same time, we as Americans should support free speech as it is one of the most (if not THE most) crucial facet to democracy.

There is very large doubt as to whether Mubarak’s regime will fall. If he does fall, it could really be a bad thing for the US. With the dissolution of the Mubarak regime, there will be a huge power vacuum in Egypt and multiple parties will be clamoring for power and influence.

As of now there are two contenders for power that are at the forefront should Mubarak’s regime fall. One is Mohamed ElBaradei, the former Director General for the International Atomic Energy Agency (responsible for checking up on nuclear delinquents such as Iran), and his supporters. The other contender is the Muslim Brotherhood, which is a pan-Arabian political group whose goal is to govern with the iron fist of Islam and Sharia law. It has been banned in both Egypt and Syria.

Baradei could potentially be a good option for Egypt and for US-Middle East relations. He has already proven to be pro-West through his involvement with the IAEA. He also seems to care about democracy and the state of affairs in Egypt, though only time will really tell if this is true. The Muslim Brotherhood is a very very bad option for almost everyone, especially the US. Their group and political aspirations have been oppressed in many countries, often with the aid of the USA. They could and probably will stir anti-American resentment in the Middle East.

So what will happen if Egypt sees a regime change?

In my opinion, it comes down to the clash between the social and economic classes. Egypt is very poor and ruled by a wealthy upper class. The disparity between the two classes is huge. From what I can see, though, most Egyptians from all economic classes are against Mubarak. My friends, some of the more fortunate Egyptians who had access to Western education through the American University in Cairo, are my best example. Most if not all of them will be joining the protests on Friday. And they are mostly pro-Baradei.

The Muslim Brotherhood will have a higher attraction to the general population who are poor and much more religiously conservative. If the lower class Egyptians decide that it’s time for an end to the status-quo as well as the end of the Mubarak regime, the Muslim Brotherhood could easily ride this wave to power. The Egyptians from the wealthy and intellectual classes will have to make an effort to demonstrate their solidarity with the majority of Egyptians.

I am waiting in anticipation towards the events that will take place in Egypt tomorrow, Friday January 28th 2011. Will the popular uprising of Egyptians be strong enough to overcome and sway the massive and currently-pro-Mubarak military and police force? If so, does Mubarak fall? Or does Mubarak AND the status quo (wealthy/intellectual class) fall? This will all depend on the charisma of the figureheads who join and lead a revolution, if there is one.

But will there be a bloodless revolution? Not in Egypt.

Etiquette is a big word for manners or politeness.  Being polite while using the phone is not something many of us are taught, especially due to the proliferation of the mobile phone, and so it is difficult for our traditions on politeness to keep up with the spread of technology.  Even so, I feel that most cultures have even less manners regarding phone use.

For one, you don’t answer the phone at the dinner table.  Ever.  If it is an important call, then it is acceptable for you to excuse yourself from the table.  And what else this implies is that you don’t make phone calls when you are at the table.  Doing this is just rude and inconsiderate – and if you’re in a restaurant you will look like a complete moron.

If you do use the phone at the table you are making a statement to those around you, which is;  ”I am not aware of your feelings and I have more important things to attend to other than enjoying your company.”

Another way to snub a companion with your mobile is to suddenly end a conversation by picking up a phone call without saying “Excuse me.”  It’s somewhat interesting to break down and analyze this behavior because it happens all the time.  It seems that technology has become such a core part of our lives that behavior–such as treating our mobile phones with the observance and attention that only a regular human being should get–is becoming normalized.

I’ve also been to classrooms in other countries’ Universities and have witnessed students talking on their phones.  This is a big no-no.

Have you ever noticed at a party, a bar or restaurant, or any other socializing place – people keep checking their phones to make themselves look important, when in reality they are feeling insecure?

The ownership of mobile phones has given the general population a sense of self-importance.  Furthermore, it has enabled them to degrade and undermine actual relationships.  I really cannot understand why people depend on their phones so much.  Even more, I cannot understand why people allow themselves to act impolitely because of their phones.  I believe people should understand that what is important in life is face-to-face communication and the people around them.

I believe that many young Americans are taught to identify themselves through the materials they consume, more specifically through the clothes they wear (e.g. hipsters).  Somehow it is really truly vital to have really specific (and overpriced) fashionable items in order to show that you’re “cool” or at least acceptable.

I don’t understand how people behave like they need to spend money on unnecessary things to be part of the “in” crowd.  I mean, you people don’t really believe that someone else won’t sit next to you at the local bar unless you’re wearing hip shoes, right?  Yes I do understand that buying things can be cool and fun, but do trendy clothes, jewelry, and cars have to be the goal of your lifestyle?

I distinguish myself in a lot of ways from my friends who buy into the consumerist culture.  For example, I have a friend who has a new pair of shoes every time I see her (at least this was the trend before the economic crisis hit).  She identifies herself by wearing the countless (read, bookshelves full of) shoes every day, which I might add are all sneakers.  Every time I walk into her room I look at one of the book-shelves full of shoes and comment to myself how that would pay for tickets to some faraway destination.

Don’t get me wrong, I DO like wearing nice clothes and owning nice things, but they are certainly not what anyone would call trendy.  I choose to spend my money on life experiences such as world travel.  And as a result of these life experiences my knowledge and self-awareness has grown to the point where I’ve become isolated from and even pity many of my friends back home.  This is not a good feeling.

I try to get my friends to experience these things with me – but they always cite the lack of funding as their main obstacle to venturing to another country.  I often take the chance to tell my sneaker-obsessed friend that, “you know, if you sold your shoes, you could visit me in the Middle East very easily.”  ”Yeah,” she replies in a half-sigh.  My friend is under the impression that she is broke.  I don’t think that it’s possible to own that many shoes and be broke.

Yet, it’s partially true because of her attitude.  While she could technically afford a trip, she disables herself from affording it because she is completely fixated on consuming trendy goods.  And oftentimes materialism has people convinced that consuming goods is what will make them happy.

And this is where I am going to get more controversial.  Why does it seem like those who are part of the lower economic classes are more likely to spend money on completely useless and superfluous items?  Take for example the culture and lifestyle being advocated by the rap music industry.  Lyrics and images about drugs, alcohol, and “hos” are paired with big shiny jewelry, big shiny cars, and prescriptions on how to dress.  The people who buy into this kind of lifestyle are often the people who cannot afford it.

But does consumption help people grow?  And does it really satisfy deeper human needs, such as self-discovery and human curiosity? Instead of focusing their hard-earned money on what I call “life experiences” or investments, people throw their money away on items that will never help them prosper!

Materialism, I believe, is a symptom of the identity crisis that so many Americans experience.  There are so many alternatives to materialistic things that can help you identify You.  Heritage, location, relationships, interests, experiences, achievements… the list goes on.  How do you identify yourself?

Notable quotes about my identity during my stay in Dubai:

• “Oh, you’re half Asian, no wonder you don’t look like other Americans.”
• “So if your mother is from Thailand, that means you’re half Thai and half American.”

The one that gets to me the most is the assumption that I am only “half-American” as if being an American is an ethnic race.  Recently I’ve gotten used to putting emphasis on one thing: I am full American.  My heritage or ethnic background is half Thai from my mother’s side, and half Luxembourgish/European mix from my father’s side.  While this explains my outwards appearance, it is certainly oversimplifying my identity.

Although race is a touchy subject, I think people should be able to talk about it openly.  Racism can be found anywhere but I don’t think that this should hinder dialogue about ethnic or cultural background.  Race influences our identities no matter what we do, because let’s face it, what we look like on the outside matters–at least at the beginning.

So what I would like to point out about America is this: Americans don’t equal white.  We have been an immigrant society since before our country’s very inception and as a consequence we are a combination of the world’s cultures.  If you need proof, look at our current president.

Europe was the first place I traveled outside the US.  I was young and went with a large group of my family.  In fact we went for a “family reunion” of sorts in Luxembourg to meet our distant relatives who were descendants of the same family.  The trip was amazing as it was eye-opening for the young girl I was at the time.  Walking down a street in a European city felt like I was walking through history.  And coming face-to-face with different cultures and different languages was also a thrill.  What really moved me was spending time with my European cousins close to my age.  We lived in completely different continents but shared similar tastes and experiences.  Coming to the realization that people across great distances and cultural barriers can still share so much inspired me to travel the world, to pursue a career in international affairs, and to continue to find the bridges that connect people from great distances.

After having traveled to numerous places outside of the West, including Asia and the Middle East, I have come to a disheartening realization that is becoming more and more true every day; no one speaks more poorly of Americans than Europeans.

It’s true.  Europeans have no problem with speaking poorly not only of the US government, but of the American people, their culture, and just about anything else American.  Nor do they these Europeans have a problem with saying such rude and demeaning comments to your face (if you’re American).  I have personally experienced this while living abroad, particularly in my current location of Dubai.

It is no secret that the US government has made many enemies, and that many people around the world resent the power and influence that America holds.  But for example, in the Arab world which is supposedly a hot-bed for anti-American sentiments, American visitors get treated with nothing but kindness and hospitality.  This is because the Arab people can distinguish between a government and it’s people–and also because Arab hospitality is so ingrained into their culture that sitting down for tea with someone who might be considered an “enemy” is somewhat normal.

So then, what is the problem with our supposed Allies, the Europeans?

For over half a century now the US has kept the Europeans safe.  What I mean is, their security has been America’s obligation since the second World War.  We supported their re-building and we allowed them to focus on everything OTHER than security.  To be fair, the US has used institutions like NATO to gain influence and advance American interests–but overall these interests were in line with the Europeans’ own interests.

That’s why I say let the Europeans fend for themselves.  Let the US break down the old NATO institution, empty out all US military bases, and scrap the whole “missile defense shield” idea.  Then, their Common Foreign and Security Policy can take over the responsibility of providing military power.   What would happen, then, if Iran proves one day to be armed with Nuclear capabilities?  And what if Russia will pushes its influence further into Eastern Europe and causes instability in the region?  Would the Europeans value American friendship a little more, maybe?

Unfortunately the US would not be able to pull away from Europe even if it wanted to.  The point of this thought exercise was this: if the Europeans are going to hate Americans for their government, they should make sure it is for a good reason; then they should find a way to talk about it in a polite and diplomatic way.

Bigotry is going the way of the dinosaurs, and so will the European culture, if they don’t clean up their manners.

In my opinion, the issue surrounding the Amanda Knox trial involved intrigue, a biased European press, a self-promoting Italian prosecutor, anti-Americanism, and the overall representation of Americans traveling abroad.  This anti-Americanism can be seen in much of the reaction to Amanda’s trial.

To give a better example, I will paraphrase some of the things that the foul-mouthed British woman said on Twitter:

“Amanda Knox: GUILTY. Italy 1, America 0. Read it and weep America.”

“Disgusted at idiot Americans defending depraved sexual monster Amanda Knox.”

These statements actually hurt me on some level.  I guess it’s because the reputation of Americans in general is something that I care greatly about.  But people are people, and Americans really represent the whole world in the sense that we are made up of so many heritages… including Italian.  Let’s not forget that Amanda Knox traveled to Italy to indulge in the culture and language of the country – NOT to murder.

The case of Amanda Knox gives me the opportunity to not only defend America, but to advocate for someone that I know personally.  I went to high school with Amanda Knox.  She is not the only “famous” high school mate that I know, but she is certainly the most “infamous.”  I’ll admit I was shocked and confused by the news of the murder and her involvement when it first came out.  After time passed, I discussed memories of her with other high school mates.  We all came to the same conclusion; she couldn’t have done it.

My memories of Amanda are limited to her being highly involved in school through soccer and drama.  I also remember being impressed with her writing skills during a time when my class shared poetry that we had written.  It’s obvious that she has a bright and creative mind.  I’m not saying that Amanda is or was perfect, but she was a pretty good girl that did credit to our academically-intensive Catholic school.

Amanda Knox’s case is a very unique and (hopefully) isolated one.  At the same time we should all realize that it could have happened to any of us.  I think that going abroad to experience the world is a sort of rite-of-passage that most if not all of us should experience.  I just hope that fear doesn’t keep people from expanding their horizons  - and conversely that people are sensitive to the community or country they represent in their behavior when they are abroad.

Link to CBS’s “American Girl, Italian Murder: The Verdict” an in-depth report on the Amanda Knox case http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5915082n&tag=api

Because leaving my country has made me love my country at a level most people don’t have the opportunity to experience.

I became obsessed with traveling at a young age.  My very first cross-cultural experience was in Europe where I met with distant European relatives in Luxembourg who were different yet had a lot in common with me and my family.

Ever since then I have traveled at every opportunity I could get, including to Thailand where I have spent time with my  Asian relatives.  With each experience I have become more and more aware of my personal identity and how much I identify with America.  Every cultural boundary I have experienced or come across has allowed me to attach myself more to my country’s values, and sometimes question them.

I combined my intercultural background and my traveling experiences with an academic background in Political Science and International Studies.  Academia has allowed me to observe myself and my country through multiple lenses.

I’ve noticed Americans struggling with identity, and sometimes I think on a greater scale than people from most other cultures.  I whole-heartedly believe that this would be less of an issue if more Americans traveled.  Since this is not possible, I’m doing my part by sharing my opinions and observations on what America is and what it could be.

It is completely understandable why the French–as well as other nationalities–don’t understand the American debate about healthcare.  Yes, we are behind the times (being the only Western and industrialized country to not offer this benefit to all our citizens).   On the other hand, there is a logical reason for the difference between the US and the rest of the industrialized and health-care-toting world.  Countries like France, for example, have been homogenous in terms of people and especially culture for a long time.  Having  a benefit such as healthcare as a public good (available to all) is not only thought of as common, but it is also seriously taken for granted in places like France as well as other countries.   This is why the debate in America has caused so much confusion and criticism around the world.

The US has always been an immigrant country and thus we are completely made up of numerous and various cultures.  Most communities are left to their own devices; to live a lifestyle and follow traditions in whatever fashion they could desire.  While it is amazing that an uncountable number of communities could live together in harmony, there are also many drawbacks.  Comparably less public goods (when put next to another developed country) is one of these drawbacks.

The US has had a motto that has been commonly used (in various forms) since the colonists came across the Atlantic.  This is “to pull oneself up by one’s own bootstraps.”  America is a highly indepedent country, in the sense that the society revolves around the individual rather than the community.  Individual rights reign over community (or family) rights, which is completely different than most other countries around the world.

Applying this motto of independence to American communities whether it be by race, religion, or economic class, Americans have decided that people need to provide for themselves.  Because of the “Universal American Culture” the US government has failed to produce a “Universal Healthcare” for American citizens.

I am in no way trying to defend America’s current policy on healthcare, I am merely explaining how it has developed according to American identity.   I think that we are a wealthy enough nation to be providing key public goods to our people, and that it is an important part in nation-building.

Now, my opinion on what is ACTUALLY going to happen is grim at best.  I think what Obama is pushing for currently is a step in the right direction – but that’s just it.  Before Americans can swallow the idea of spending more of their individual wages on taxes to help communities of lower-class Americans in another state, we are going to have to start thinking of ourselves as a community.