Like most people in my generation, I grew up with "America". I learn my English from Sesame Street, my puns and phrases from the ever delightful TV series (think Quantum Leap, Remington Steele, P.S. I Love You, Hart to Hart, LA Law, tv series that has real story in it and not just obscene shopping scenes and drunkness in various degree). I learn my wooing from US singers and songs, my jokes from Readers Digest and The Cosby Show, my sarcastic and witty humor from Garfield and Hollywood movies. I got my knowledge from National Geographic, and news from Yahoo, Time, and New York Times. Dean Koontz's Stranger mesmerize me, as well as Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. I see things Malcolm Gladwell's way and still believe in kindness due to tender-age brainwash by reading plenty of Chicken Soup for the Soul. In some degree, America helped me define who I am.
It is hard not to be fascinated with America. No, I am not talking about the good living condition or the so-called-prestige of visiting or even staying in US. These things do not attract me. What is so rich about America is the ever going strive to be better. The pilgrims of Mayweather, the Founding Fathers, the Civil War for the slaves' freedom, all the way to the recent years of race equality, women's rights, and even sexual preference's rights. And it is not just in politics. The roaring 20s, the jazz, the swing, the hip hop beat, they all bore the same characteristic of variation and attempt to be better. A country founded by it's own people (as opposed to be founded and governed by monarch) it is not hard to understand why Freedom is such a big issue in America, and why it permeates everything. America connote with Freedom.
The Freedom and basic mentality to be better (or best) allows US citizen to grow and expand their potentials, and more importantly, to have faith in their country. My boyfriend once explained that US goverment will never make rules that will hindrance their people. Opinions aside (there can never be one rule or even anything in this world that can please everyone), I can't imagine how nice it would be to be able to have faith in your own government. Coming from a developing country, the promise of clean dedicated government which I can have faith in is an obscene luxury; as well as hearing rhetoric like the above and actually moved by it and believe it wholeheartedly (which I actually did. Thanks for giving me cause, Mr. Roosevelt!).
[Of course at the risk of sounding bias and being subjective Indonesia is and will always be my pride and joy: the vast beautiful island country, rich in resources, breathtaking in view/to see, warm in her people's friendliness, elegant and radiant in her deeply rooted cultures. I would assume a British made the same patriotically-laced comment about UK, a Dutch about Netherland, and so in and so forth. Each country in the world has it's own uniqueness and positive side, and to say one is above others is as legitimate as saying dubstep trumps swing. Each to his/her own preference.]
I gladly admit that my opinion here can be freely dismissed as inaccurate. I am a (non) American woman, and my opinion about America is as valid as opinion of a spectator in a football match. I am not the one who ran yards away, nor getting pinned by the massive hitman erm bulky opponent and got skull fracture. But it is worthy to note that despite all the hatred and troll commenting over the internet, despite the pre-election tension and lengthy economic crisis, Americans stand on their true value: freedom. It is now back to Americans to make America a great country, one that is envisioned by her founding fathers and believed for hundreds of years by her citizens. And beside, I could always use more delightful soul-lifting-swinging-jazz ;-).
NOTE: for a glimpse of what Indonesia is all about, feel free to read below.
http://kucinghitamjalanjalan.blogspot.com/2010/11/i-love-you-indonesia.html
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