The United States of AWESOMENESS

"We flipped our finger to the King of England
And stole our country from the Indians
With God on our side, and guns in our hand
We took it for our own"


                                                    from the song 'Merican, by The Descendants


Maybe the United States is not the first nation that comes to mind when one hears the word ’’Imperialism.’’ To be fair, European colonization of Africa, North and South America, and South and East Asia provides a rather convincing argument that the Europeans invented their own flavor of manifest destiny long before Lady USA was in the room. Who could forget the Belgian Congo, the British Raj, or the Dutch Boers? To reiterate a tired point that has oft been more eloquently stated, Europe back in the day was something of the classroom bully, perplexingly concerned with throwing down some old school imperialism rather than addressing the real needs of her perpetually feuding peoples.

Fast forward a few centuries. 1945. The United States of America at the end of World War II stands virtually alone as the world’s sole hegemonic power. In the immediate aftermath of the war, the US on its own was responsible for one third of global GDP, anchored by a strong manufacturing base that had no equal. The United States was the only power with a highly mobile, strong, and ready standing army, in contrast to the European powers, which had just lost an entire generation of young men. Lastly, at that moment the United States was the only nation that had atomic capabilities, the power of which had just been demonstrated to the entire global community. The American Empire had arrived, founded on the bygone European world order, the pragmatic military and civilian discipline of her people, and the time honored ideas and principles of her founding ideology. 

The critically acclaimed and highly esteemed journalist and historian Tom Brokaw famously referred to the brave men and women of this era as "The Greatest Generation." Recognizing the inherent strength and devotion of a people who had been called to serve, left their families, traveled across the world to fight for their values and the rights of entire peoples, societies, and cultures that they had never met, and then returned home to quietly start families of their own, Brokaw’s title of veneration for these individuals was earned in trenches and fields in Europe and jungle islands in the Pacific Ocean, in dense forests and freezing foxholes outside Bastiogne, and in flashing red and yellow German skies. The great sacrifice that those individuals freely made for their young nation cannot be measured in blood alone, but in the valor and inspiration of their august legacy.

There is an appropriate proverb that states: “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Within one generation, the United States experienced an about-face in its foreign policy mentality; shifting from a nation initially opposed to entering World War II to an interventionist rational state actor whose narrow strategic doctrine focused almost exclusively on economic philosophy rather than social justice. Most notoriously though surprisingly unheeded is the Central Intelligence Agency, which assumed the lead role in a series of assassinations during the 1960’s and 1970’s that eliminated democratically elected leaders in South America and Africa and replaced them with brutal dictators simply because of a perceived affiliation of the former with Marxist ideology.

Today the US remains the world’s largest economy, measured by the Gross Domestic Product, as well as the world’s most capable military. But the US will not remain the sole global hegemony for much longer. The GDP of the People’s Republic of China is projected to surpass that of the United States within the lifetime of the emerging generation. Combined with the commercial potential of India, the possibility of a third global polarity in South and East Asia is quickly becoming a constructivist reality. Economic growth in South America is spearheaded by a diversified and powerful Brazilian economy. Economic and political integration in the European Union, as well as the possibility of subsequent expansion, will continue to maintain the status of the Old World as an important player and polarity, one that considered as a whole already exceeds US GDP. Given all of these changes to international structures and relations, where is the outlet for US imperialism?

      

The answer is its culture. When compared to their European counterparts, on the surface it may seem as though the US lacks a truly distinct culture of its own. The United States is, after all, a nation of immigrants who carried parts of their culture with them into the land of opportunity. In a sense, the United States has no culture of its own; any traditions are simply the transplanted remnants of existing customs imported from their original nations.

My personal conviction is that the above viewpoint is mistaken. While the cultural identity remains much more homogenous in Europe, the culture of the United States is literally immeasurable by comparison, as its culture is one of intrinsic diversity manifest through waves of immigration spread over three centuries.  Furthermore, the United States is large in geographic area as well as population, which allows for considerable regional variation in culture. The nation of preppy New England polo teams is the same nation of the all out, in-your-face bloodbath showdowns of Texan Football rivalries. Urban cosmopolitan socialites and rural based free-spirited cowboys may live within 75 miles of each other or 3,000 miles apart. Highly disciplined and politically oriented students work as interns for government agencies or NGOs on the East Coast while their hardcore partygoer friends on the other side of the country rush out of class to go snowboarding in Aspen. And amid this beautiful diversity, the holy, venerated land of milk and honey that is the Midwest remains a shining beacon of superiority to which the rest of the nation may one day aspire.


There are important and ignored arguments and examples to be made in favor of the concept of US culture. The valuable contribution of immigrant communities is a valuable and enriching asset to its home community. Consider the following: The oldest Muslim community in the nation is in Detroit, where some Muslim families have held local delis and cafes for three generations (the same amount of time that both sides of the Saint Luc Family have called the US their home). Maine has a large population of Palestinians, as well as an internationally recognized summer camp that integrates their children with Israeli children. Minnesota has a large population of Somalians. A mid size suburb 30 miles outside Chicago is home to an unusually large number of really cool class individuals, and also Lithuanians. Indians are everywhere, and one can even find bhangra competitions with full Punjabi teams in Buffalo, New York. Et cetera, et cetera.


There is no better illustration of the popularity of US soft power as in the music industry. MTV and VH1 rule the airwaves from the City of Fallen Angels (Los Angeles) to the City of frites, mussels, European Bureaucracy, and racist checkpoint officials (Bruxelles) and beyond. The soundtrack of the United States is everywhere. Even if a new trend originates elsewhere, the US will Americanize it and make it their own. Big Brother, originally a Dutch creation, made its way to the US in the form of the Road Rules and Real World shows that everyone except for me watched during the 1990's. Later, reality TV would develop into the Simple Life or Rich Girls, until finally it would reach the pinnacle of its existence in JERSEY SHORE. 


While the US may finally be ceding its economic edge to the rising Dragon in the East, it is important to remember that no single nation will surpass the US's hard power capabilities within this generation or the next. Additionally, the popular culture of the United States will continue to ensure that the US plays the lead role in defining the in vogue soft power components of society. And the social reality for most US citizens yet offers an unmatched level and depth of diversity that is experienced nowhere else in the world. The US does not need to spread its culture. The rest of the world already does that for us.

Final Exam Pump Up

One week until the final. Get pumped.

The Folly of the Wonk

American University has a new fad. 

It's called wonk. 

I don't like it.  

The concept behind wonk was born out of the notion that AU students aspire to become outstanding experts in their field of academic study. With the same letters in the word "know" arranged in reverse order, the not so subtle implication is that students will eventually know their field forwards and backwards. A wonk is therefore a sillier, collegiate term for scholar, or so the AU administrators responsible for the campaign believe. 

The truth is that the term is neither unique to AU (despite AU's 35 trademark applications on it and its variations) nor particularly useful. Rather, it appears as though the administration has once again erred in their judgment of identifying a central concept around which our student body can rally. Students at AU, while not all the best and brightest, are hard working, highly motivated, talented, and serious about their academic and future careers. This silly campaign, though not entirely a bad idea, is not one that will resonate with the majority of AU students. Conceded, being detached from the campus community certainly does limit my ability to assess the reality of wonk in the daily functioning of the university. But my educated guess is that wonk has done little in affecting the student body for better or for worse. More likely, it is a direct attempt by the administration to appear more engaged in the social component of the campus community, one that is not particularly intriguing. 

In examining the campaign, albeit lightly and without great expectations, my only rationale is that the campaign exists for two possible reasons. The first reason may be to provide a visible, symbolic buzz word to represent the student body, therefore creating an image of the typical AU student. The second possibility is that perhaps AU decided that in order for students to feel universally accepted or at ease in a new environment, such an image would provide intangible emotional and psychological benefits that would serve a part in the process of social integration for new students. 

I have a few problems with these motives. Addressing the first rationale, I, like many of my peers, already have a very clear picture of what is conveyed in the concept of the average AU student. To be fair, this definition may differ depending on the individual. But to be honest, those who do go to American University do have an idea of the average AU student, and speaking as a student of this fine institution I would not be wrong in my claim that one's conceptualization of the average AU student would very likely deviate little between the thousands of individuals that compose our student body. There is such a reality as the average AU student, and that reality exists in hundreds if not thousands of the people at AU. An effort to explicitly characterize the typical AU student is unnecessary.

Regarding the second, it is unrealistic and slightly insulting to insinuate that such a campaign could provide a feeling of acceptance-real or artificial-in a student who does not identify with any other group or individual on campus. That AU's rate of retention between freshman and sophomore year is lower than desired is reflective of the lack of social integration opportunities provided by the university. While AU does an excellent job of providing such activities during orientation, such programs should be maintained during the academic year as well. As all enlightened individuals are aware, education in modern society is much more than the classes alone-a fully integrated education is one that provides outlets in the social competence as well as the academic realm alone. 

Lastly, the question as to whether the wonk campaign is little more than a waste of resources is both valid and reasonable. The essential question remains whether the funding allocated towards wonk could have been better spent elsewhere. Given the strength of AU's financial leadership, such expenditures are unlikely to affect other programs, but the economics of the wonk campaign surely merit considerations of its opportunity cost. Note: The full cost of American University's Wonk Campaign was quoted by an AU Official as USD 675,000. For a breakdown of costs, see Chris Lewis's article on the campaign, "The Price of Wonk," which appeared in the American Way of Life Magazine. 

The wonk campaign is the direct result of overemphasizing a mentality that needs no further reinforcement. Students at American University already strive to become recognizable figures, whether in politics or academia, and any added pressure from wonk amounts to blatant overkill. Nor does the wonk campaign add any value to the campus community-AU social life remains fragmented and loosely based around extracurricular interests, where exclusive executive boards plan and control the events of their organization and draw in a membership that typically is little more than an audience. Wonk does nothing to provide a greater cohesion between divided movements, organizations, or academic groups, and indeed fails to deliver any tangible results.

Many AU students, often observant and analytical, surely are aware of the numerous fallacies of the wonk campaign. The fault is not that the administration did not produce the effort to engage the community, but rather that it was so wildly off the mark in its estimation of a unifying, compelling central image. That its relatively high cost could easily be allocated toward other initiatives (i.e., three full scholarships including room and board) also thrusts scrutiny on the program. If American University wishes to be serious about implementing overarching, pragmatic solutions toward integrating new students into the campus community, more effective and meaningful measures are needed. A colorful T-shirt is no substitute for a supportive friend, and it should not take the misallocation of $675,000 to realize this simple truth. Until a new mentality is adopted by the individuals responsible for wonk, it appears as though the students of American University will have to live with the label, regardless of how big of sgabehcuod it makes us feel.

Access Denied; How to Not Get Into the Schengen Area

"Lord, what fools these mortals be!"

                                                      -William Shakespeare

                A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act II Scene III

As previously promised, here is the long overdue explanation of what happened to the defamed Saint Luc as he innocently attempted to re-enter Brussels after his very enjoyable holiday some three weeks earlier. Note: This entry does not fit in chronologically to the rest of my epic narrative. Instead, it should be placed between my fall break in Cairo and the ten day Balkans trip.

On an unremarkable, chilly Sunday morning in Brussels I arrived back only to be stopped at passport control. Upon seeing a rather large amount of stamps in Arabic on my passport, Mr Racist Belgian Checkpoint Official (not his actual name) decided that a further investigation was necessary. “What are you doing in Brussels?” asked Mr RBCO. I responded that I was a student. He then asked to see my residence card, which I did not have, as I had not obtained a student visa. After explaining this, he very cordially invited me to accompany his colleague to a side room to resolve the matter. There I became aware of a significant problem; namely, that I did not have a student visa, and that my tourist visa for the Schengen area had been overstayed by 53 days. I had assumed that with a tourist visa that was automatically extended to all US Citizens for a period of 90 days I would have no trouble entering and exiting the Schengen area. This assumption, though correct, had left out one crucial detail. I had spent most of the summer in Spain, and therefore my initial date of entry into the Schengen area was not 03 September 2010, but rather 14 May 2010. I had therefore been in the Schengen area for 143 days out of the past 164.

After a futile conversation with Mr Belgian Official on a Power Trip (a colleague of Mr Racist Belgian Checkpoint Official), I was interrogated by a third individual, who in fairness had a pretty miserable job. Seeing the Moroccan, Egyptian, Turkish, and UAE stamps on my passport made the officials rather uncomfortable, so they asked me a few questions about my travel plans and the purposes of my visits to these wonderful places. He asked my religion. He also asked if I had any Muslim friends. Sensing the predicament that I was in, my mind nevertheless wandered to one of the Muslim friends that I had visited in Egypt, with who I spent an afternoon exploring a rich collection of Mosques. I also thought of one of my previous roommates, a Pakistani Muslim with whom I had once celebrated Eid. “Not really,” I replied.

There were two options. Neither involved entering the country. The first was that the Belgian government would pay for my flight back to the previous airport from which I had arrived. Since that would be Henri Coanda in Bucharest, Romania, I opted to take option number two, Choose Your Own Adventure. Destiny (convenience, really) brought me to Londontown, where I enjoyed the gracious hospitality of the family of a certain Miss Saint Luc for a relaxing, leisurely week. Thanks to the ever loyal Duke of Landesberg I was able to skype in for most of my classes, and when I arrived back in Brussels a week later my Professor acknowledged that of all weeks I had selected the best possible one to miss.

Though I wish I could say I received a hero’s welcome, in reality my return was rather inconsequential. Many of my peers had fallen ill, so absences were high. Nevertheless, it was splendid to be back, and I enjoyed Brussels for a full five days before leaving on a ten day trip to the Balkans (of which the first leg was recorded in the previous post).