"I love America," he praised in his slight West African accent. "But it is the epitome of Irony and I'll tell you why: in America you will find the highest education, students flocking here by the millions hungry to learn. In America you will find the wealthiest and most successful people, brilliant leaders (some, not all). Here, you find a place based on diplomacy, freedom to believe whatever one desires, wide spectrums of spirituality and culture...but Americans do not have a clue about what's 'really' going on in the world and the scary part is, it is by choice." Aly, my young and fervent cab driver, uttered these words and quite possibly changed, not only my views, but the course of my life.
Two weekends ago I set out on a dismal Saturday morning, to receive a bicycle on loan to me for a few months. The day was already set in a pensive backdrop -- I meditated on the purpose of duty and action everywhere I went. For earlier that morning I taught a class on job interviewing skills to migrant women from South Asia. Something about empowering the helpless, speaking before a classroom of victimized, minority women as they stare at you with genuine eyes, eating up every little word you speak...something about that infects the soul with a certain will to change. Often people do volunteer work and they find that it makes THEM feel better about themselves and once that purpose is fulfilled, those being served are quickly forgotten; I pray I don't do that.
So, where was I...oh yes, I was going to see about a bike. I took the train to the east side. I then had to walk 5 more avenues further east. The rain began to feel heavier and fell more rapidly. With no umbrella, I ran to my friend's apartment building and found the bike waiting for me in the lobby, "I hope you're not gonna ride in this" the doorman said to me, looking out into the rain. He called me a cab and 20 minutes later it never arrived. I stood there, soaked, bike by my side strategizing how I would get home with this heap of metal and rubber. Minutes before I was about to ride home in the rain a cab pulls up to the curb, a gentleman steps out and I quickly approach the driver and ask him if he would take me and my bike cross town. He agrees and kindly squeezes the cycle into his backseat and I hop in front. By his accent I could tell he was from somewhere in Africa. I explain to him, "My family is from East Africa. From Uganda." He speaks fondly of his home and I tell him my parents do the same. We discuss the tyranny of the now deceased dictator, Idi Amin . He expounds on his thesis about female suicide-bombers in Palestine and how victimization leads to ruin. I learned that my cab driver was really no cab driver at all, but a student who just received an international law degree from John Jay University and will be working for the United Nations. We spent an entire hour outside of my apartment discussing politics.
There are some people who love to talk about what they know. But very rarely can speakers wholly keep the interest and ears of their audience. It takes more than just knowledge to inform and influence others. It takes integrity and compassion. Aly's discourse on the disillusionment and ignorance of the American people captivated me. My time in his cab was a pleasantly unexpected experience. I will probably never see him again but I hope to hear him on the news one day, speaking so the masses can hear. Unknowingly, he has influenced me in a profound way (not to mention, I won't stereotype cab drivers anymore).
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9 comments:
fine....I'll ask the question that everyone wants to know:
In what way did Aly change your views and your life? Does it have to do with America's "might is right" approach to foreign policy? The "victimization leads to ruin" mentality of the suicide bombers? Or was there something else?
Rather wicked of you to tease us with the life-altering declaration and then not expound on it. Then again, this isn't a paper, it's a blog. So you set the rules (I was just curious)...
That would have been amusing if after the hour long conversation outside apartment building, Aly had said, "great talking to you! Ok, so my meter says $121.50! Did you want a receipt?"
At the risk of being too broad, I'd have to say it was EVERYTHING. Really. It was the timing, it was my mood and the fact that I was open at that moment to hear a cab driver ramble on. I'm rarely in the mood to strike up conversations with strangers. But that day I was. And it occurred to me...really occurred to me in that cab that I was who Aly was talking about. I choose not to be informed. Everyday I wake up and go about my business. I could care less about what's going on outside of this country. Yes, of course, I follow the major current events. But I take in what I'm fed. CNN, NPR, Washington Post...we call that news. We just believe what we're told.
What is it...about 3, maybe 4 major corporations own every form of media that is coming into this country. Do we actually believe that it is all objective journalism? Even the BBC is slanted these days. I've never tried to go beyond that to learn what's "really" going on. And it really is EVERYTHING. We see suicide bombers on the news everyday. Do we ever ask why its happening? Perhaps its a cylce. Perhaps its bc our country is occupying a place it shouldn't. Perhaps its actually ruining lives instead of making them better. A possibility?
I had no clue how many people hated America until I left the country a few years ago. I spent a summer in Europe and as soon as people heard we were from America, the jokes began. It was funny at the time but when you think about where those jokes stem from, its quite sad. We're like the spoiled rich kids who are oblivious to everyone else - as long as we get what we want. Our president is a joke (in my opinion). But again, I'm not nearly as informed as I could be or should be. And that's nobody's fault but mine -- and that is one of the realizations I had.
What will happen next? I have ideas...things I want to do with my life, how I want to implement my own media skills in a positive way. I don't want to be misunderstood either. Like Aly, I too love America. I guess its a love-hate relationship.
I hope that answered some of your questions. Thanks for asking.
Interesting. Glad to see Aly influenced you that way. One person at a time.
You worked in the media, didn't you? I think people do forget the fact that the people who report the news have their own biases and the people who control the outlets have their own ideas of what should or shouldn't be put out. And it's not a journalistic decision, it's a personal decision (alot of power in one person's hands).
It would be great if we could get more life-changing paradigm shifts from people who reside within the "interior states" in our beloved country. At the same time, we really do need the kids our age who identify themselves as left-leaning (or any preference) to inform themselves better and take what 'we' do in the rest of the world more personally. And to be more active about it in some way. Even if it's something as >pointless< as voting for a "losing" cause. Hard to convince people that nothing is pointless: especially a cause that is lost.
If we don't take control of our agenda, somebody else will. And that somebody else is an obese, bald white guy who can mistake a lawyers' face for a domesticated turkey (an easy mistake in retrospect)...
Q: what part of Europe did you visit? I find that Europeans do despise American foreign policy, but they do LOVE Bill Clinton.
Well said CT.
I was in London, Switzerland, Italy and Greece...the consensus was America sucks.
You are right, Clinton was/is the man internationally. Even when my Father was visiting the other week he was like, "Let's go to Harlem. That's where Clinton lives."
well said crooked teeth, one person at a time. and rakhee i’m excited you experienced this "cab ride" and are questioning our scope of day-to-day life. i just wish people were more aware of what is really going on in the world and not what Fox News tells them. of how our government has completely blindsided its people with lies and the world with its brute force. i mean we ignored the UN, pretty much called the International Court bullshit, thus allowing our soldiers to skip past it like "Go!" when it comes to war crimes, we’ve said fuck you to the "Kyoto Protocol" and the list goes on and on. Going back on the "Kyoto Protocol", Clinton had signed it in '97, Bush rejected it, why? it required the US to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions by 7% by 2012, naturally this would mean all the oil/gas companies in Bush’s "pocket" would take big hits and that’s a no no. it would be nice to see President Bush do something for the betterment of the world instead of his boyz.
most people eat up what they are told, especially when involves topics that they are not very well educated or informed on and when the topic is not tangible, does not hit home, and does not affect their day-to-day lives. what i don't understand is how we as a people can just sit back in our glass bubble without flinching at whats going on in the world? why do most people eat up the bullshit being fed to them by Bush and his cronies?
our government can't even take care of its own at times, example Hurricane Katrina (still so many remain homeless), yet we love to stick our nose into every other nations business, let me take that back, every nation that could be of interest to us. of course most of the World hates us. i hate us, our arrogance, our greed, our aggression, our government, the nationalism (get over it people). love/hate is def the perfect way to put it. i love living here, love the democracy, the opportunity, the freedoms (they know i'm writing this) but i hate saying i'm "American". i have not said those words since Bush was illegally elected, instead i've elected to say i'm a "New Yorker" and therefore saved myself hours of ridicule. try it one day and notice the vast difference in the verbal and facial responses of your subjects, its amazing.
most Americans can’t even point out Iraq on a map of the World. people need to wake up. drink coffee, take a shot, pinch yourself til’ you're black and blue, move from Kansas to NYC, read International newspapers, research history/facts on the net, educate yourself, just become “aware”. i’m guilty of talking such thoughts aloud and on paper when I should be acting and trying to make a difference. i’ve promised myself going forward i am going to act on this passion and make a difference. i shall not ramble on anymore, as i tend to do when it comes to topics i'm emotionally invested in...
clinton rocks...change the term limit from 2 to 4 and bring him back for another 8 years.
agreed, Karma Police. And I'll try out the "new yorker" citizenship policy. Usually when in Europe I just say, "I'm American." I pause and observe the constipated grimaces on their faces. And then add the disclaimer, "but I think Bush is a wanker!" And then I see the relieved looks and they buy me the beers...
But I wonder, how do we get a typical New Yorker to vote and to care?
We've had such a polarizing political climate the past 5 years. We had Puff Daddy scolding people to 'Vote or Die!' We had Paris Hilton pornaliciously slurring 'Voting: that's ~hot~' And we still didn't vote (by we I mean the young vote).
And at the risk of being a contrarian, Clinton is not blameless. He employed Bush's same tactics when he bombed that medicine factory in the Sudan at the same moment that congress was voting on his impeachment (I'm certain he knew that bin Laden was not there and that he knew it was a medicine factory). That being said, Clinton didn't waste thousands of lives and engage us in a grotesque war.
So at the expense of ringing the conspiracy theory bell, I think it would be my civic duty to inform the masses of a little documentary out there called "Loose Change" http://www.loosechange911.com/
It may be one of the more disturbing documentaries you ever see. It's about the possible link between 9/11 and big oil (and do we all know who is a big supporter of big oil?). And the evidence provided is not the superficial musings of Michael Moore's documentary.
Mind you, I don't blindly subscribe to everything mentioned in the documentary but it did actually make me wonder, at the Pentagon crash site, where >WAS< that plane?? We never actually did see it. All we saw was a big hole.
One need look no further than a choreographed explosion in midtown from earlier this week to see how dark a persons motives can be...
KP and CT, both have some seriously provoking opinions. I'm proud that my blog is stimulating enough for this type of discussion.
I fear that as long as most people are leading the lives that they want: driving nice cars, wearing designer clothes, sipping their drinks in the hottest club, making six figures...there's not much that needs to change. Know what I mean? As far as the majority of America is concerned, everything is just dandy. That's where the whole idea of awareness came from. Ignorance is most certainly bliss.
But blow that bliss away and it might be the only way to get people to take action. Hit them across the head with it, stuff it down their throats, shove it in their faces. Who cares how graphic or vulgar it is. Through documentaries, radio, news, magazines, books, art, music -- whatever it takes.
Oh, and CT, what a creepy way to end a comment. geez! haha! But that's what I'm talkin about! Sadly, maybe people need to be scared into action??
some 17% of Americans own passports. random fact. about 48% of the population pass with a high school degree. another random fact. this has a LOT to due with many of issues you "commentors" have bought up, and while they are all good, no offense, its JUST talk. i really haven't heard any of you talk about the change you are making. you talk about how we should change others, or how others should change, but why not start with yourself? so...here are a few orgs, list-serves to look into
eldis.org - great int'l ed list serve, keeps you updated on education around the world, and believe it or not, education DOES make a difference
cepr.net- think tank in DC. i worked for them. they do good stuff. pretty much on the left, and may be biased, but good info
SAAYA.org- great south asian youth org in NYC, for all that want to "empower" the youth (although i think "empower" is such a bullshit word, and is often not used in the right context)
i have a million more, but don't need to take up more of your time. you all know how google works, use it to get involved!
oh! also, i believe in the last election, we had the highest amount of youth voters. as for "vote or die" it was a great campaign! run by mtv, get celebrities involved. what do our youth watch and listen too these days? mtv and celebrities! also, as for clinton, what did he do for rwanda? same shit our current president is doing for darfur. come on people, there really wasn't ANY great president. they are all pretty much puppets!
my work is done. all i have to say, is get off your ass and do some volunteer work and make change, instead of complaining about it, or telling others how too.
btw, don't give up on the news either. yes, it may not be absolutely the best source, but it IS a source. i watch two different channels everyday and read four different online newspapers. what do i do? take everything with a grain of salt....
re: the change we are making
Change starts with you. Excellent point, anonymous. My impression is that those who have taken the time to write some thoughtful comments on this blog are plenty interested in politics and are doing everything they are capable of to affect change in their own personal way; they don't need to justify themselves or explain what they are personally doing to 'fight the good fight'.
So assuming those who have made comments on here are all ready doing something (me: ACLU activist from '88-'92 [yes, I was 12], worked for Nader's campaign in '00, got voters registered in Boston, etc.), then the next question would be "talk about how we should change others", or "how others should change". Anonymous, you and I are both passionate about the political process, don't you want to just shake people and infect them with your passion?
If you can get one person a little more interested in the world around them, then that's all that's really important. That constitutes change. One person!
Except, I don't endeavor to motivate anyone to vote. People have to do that on their own for their own reasons. You can't force people to change or become interested in something. All you can really do is show them the path and why it might be worth looking into, but they have to walk it for themselves.
At the end of the day, yes! They >should< change. They better change. There's alot more at stake than meets the eye. And Rakhee is right: you have to give people a convincing reason why something that is their civic right and responsibility is worth their time.
I think the point of Rakhee's entry was to talk about the change she had undergone. She had had a paradigm shift in her view of U.S. foreign policy and her place in it thanks to an inspirational cab-driver, and she wanted to share that. I give her a thumbs up. It's encouraging to know that people are having these moments where they decide they want to do something. That's what you hope for.
She said it was a life-changing moment for her. She can judge for herself whether or not it sticks. And if it doesn't,then "anonymous" will be right there waiting with a cattle prod!
And I also think it's great that her blog was able to provoke a discussion with some exchange of ideas. Which is more than you can ever really hope for from some of these blogs. Good for her!
re: its JUST talk...
yeah, that's precisely all we're doing here. Talking.Communicating. Sharing ideas amongst some enlightened folks. The private meetings where we personally discuss our secret plots to bring down the government, those must be held in the backrooms of dark seedy dive bars in the village.
re: 48% have a high school education
Do we really need to pull the intelligence level card? It's a bit elitist, no? The people in the red states who bother to vote >have< high school degrees; assuming that's your primary criterion for intelligence; and assuming further that intelligence is a prerequisite necessary to voting. Plenty of voters do not have high school degrees but that doesn't make them less qualified to vote. (Perhaps more would graduate if we had more >smokin'< desi school-teachers like Rakhee's anonymous roommate!)
We don't really need to insult the intelligence level of others, do we? Surely we can do better. It's unnecessary and doesn't get to the root of the problem which is NOT the youth vote, but systematic apathy from a silent majority who might potentially vote one way or the other.
Republicans are organized and have so much homogeneity within their ranks that it's easy for them on a grassroots level to back one cause and insure that everyone supports it and votes (because most of them have little else to do after bingo night and "Murder She Wrote" reruns).
Liberals by their very nature invite debate, diversity, opposing opinions, and therefore, open themselves up for body blows from ruthlessly efficient strategists and a Machiavellian public relations machine (never underestimate men like Karl Rove).
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