mercredi 20 mars 2013

AMERICA IS THE FUTURE


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.

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