An American in Pasadena
The other night I met an old Art Center friend, Shlomi, and his sister, Bella, who was visiting him from Israel. I had not seen Shlomi for 10 years, so it was nice catching up. At the same time it was refreshing to talk to people who weren’t originally from here. Usually when I’ve been outnumbered socially by foreigners, it was me who was the foreigner (being abroad) and I found myself having to explain American culture or defend U.S. foreign policy to a pack of friendly but suspicious Germans, Britons, Spaniards, or a combination of all three.
This time, however, my friends were Israeli and Jewish, which meant a completely different type of dialogue. Shlomi, now American, and happy with his life here, saw nothing wrong with U.S. foreign policy, and was supportive of both Bush and Obama’s handling of the War on Terrorism. If anything, Shlomi, who served in the Israeli Army, was critical of what he saw as complacency here when it came to our internal security. He said we were lucky Osama bin Laden had not “green-lighted” suicide bombings among our populace.
He offered interesting insight into some questions many Americans had regarding the war. He didn’t believe that the U.S. and her allies couldn’t find bin Laden. He used Yasser Arafat as an example. “Several times, in the last Intifada, and in previous encounters,” he said. “The Israeli secret service or military could have taken out Arafat. And sometimes they were told to take out his number two or three. But each time they were denied removing Arafat for political and security reasons.”
Bin Laden, Shlomi theorized, might have issued an edict that if he is killed, a more radical successor can take off the gloves and attack American cities, population centers, etc., even with suicide attacks. The U.S. might know this, and for the security of the American public, feel it is better that bin Laden remain alive.
Shlomi agreed with my theory that suicide attacks against American civilians here at home have not been “green-lighted” by the Islamist leadership, because it is still considered a “legitimate” war-making tactic in the Middle East. Its use in America would just anger our public and distill the American anti-war movement, which Islamists, much like the communists in the Vietnam War, rely on as a strategic political weapon. “I’m just worried about a radicalized American doing something on his own,” Shlomi warned.
Bella, older and married, with three children, had been a recruiting psychologist in the Israeli Army. Her husband was a retired Israeli paratrooper who had been wounded in Lebanon in 1982. Her oldest son was in the army and her middle daughter would soon be drafted into the army upon graduating from high school. Years of living with danger and uncertainty showed on her face with each faded smile or watchful glance. She chided Shlomi whenever he said something with dubious authority, that she felt bordered on “conspiracy theory.” I smiled as I thought of my sister and I debating politics to the point of pinching and poking each other. Siblings are siblings no matter where you’re from.
The three of us discussed serious business, however. For Israelis, Islamic radicalism wasn’t an abstract concept. There was a shooting war right at the Israelis’ door. Bella looked with concern when Shlomi talked about a recent trip to Israel, in which he and his girlfriend ventured into Palestinian-dominated East Jerusalem. “I would not go there,” Bella said, frowning.
Bella spoke of having to say that she was “Greek” or “Italian” when traveling in Europe, for fear that she would be a target of violence as an Israeli. Shlomi said that he even had to hide his being American while in Europe, let alone an Israeli. Each of them lamented that radical Islam was taking over Europe at an alarming rate. “If you want to see Paris,” Shlomi said, “you better go now. In 20 years France will be Islamic.”
I couldn’t imagine having to deny my being American. Up to now, I’ve never had to and I never will. While I might not walk down Revolutionary Road in downtown Europe with an “I’m American, Shoot Me” T-shirt, I’m certainly going to leave this world as an American. I’d hate to have the last words out of my lips be: “But I’m Canadian!”
The only time our views differed was when Bella praised President Obama’s declaration that universal healthcare was going to be a reality for Americans. Shlomi and I both told her that it was most likely not going to happen. As much as I would love to see all Americans with health insurance, I would not be in support of a government-run program that penalized or heavily-taxed one portion of Americans to cover the uninsured. “Why not?” Bella asked. “The Europeans do it.”
The other night I met an old Art Center friend, Shlomi, and his sister, Bella, who was visiting him from Israel. I had not seen Shlomi for 10 years, so it was nice catching up. At the same time it was refreshing to talk to people who weren’t originally from here. Usually when I’ve been outnumbered socially by foreigners, it was me who was the foreigner (being abroad) and I found myself having to explain American culture or defend U.S. foreign policy to a pack of friendly but suspicious Germans, Britons, Spaniards, or a combination of all three.
This time, however, my friends were Israeli and Jewish, which meant a completely different type of dialogue. Shlomi, now American, and happy with his life here, saw nothing wrong with U.S. foreign policy, and was supportive of both Bush and Obama’s handling of the War on Terrorism. If anything, Shlomi, who served in the Israeli Army, was critical of what he saw as complacency here when it came to our internal security. He said we were lucky Osama bin Laden had not “green-lighted” suicide bombings among our populace.
He offered interesting insight into some questions many Americans had regarding the war. He didn’t believe that the U.S. and her allies couldn’t find bin Laden. He used Yasser Arafat as an example. “Several times, in the last Intifada, and in previous encounters,” he said. “The Israeli secret service or military could have taken out Arafat. And sometimes they were told to take out his number two or three. But each time they were denied removing Arafat for political and security reasons.”
Bin Laden, Shlomi theorized, might have issued an edict that if he is killed, a more radical successor can take off the gloves and attack American cities, population centers, etc., even with suicide attacks. The U.S. might know this, and for the security of the American public, feel it is better that bin Laden remain alive.
Shlomi agreed with my theory that suicide attacks against American civilians here at home have not been “green-lighted” by the Islamist leadership, because it is still considered a “legitimate” war-making tactic in the Middle East. Its use in America would just anger our public and distill the American anti-war movement, which Islamists, much like the communists in the Vietnam War, rely on as a strategic political weapon. “I’m just worried about a radicalized American doing something on his own,” Shlomi warned.
Bella, older and married, with three children, had been a recruiting psychologist in the Israeli Army. Her husband was a retired Israeli paratrooper who had been wounded in Lebanon in 1982. Her oldest son was in the army and her middle daughter would soon be drafted into the army upon graduating from high school. Years of living with danger and uncertainty showed on her face with each faded smile or watchful glance. She chided Shlomi whenever he said something with dubious authority, that she felt bordered on “conspiracy theory.” I smiled as I thought of my sister and I debating politics to the point of pinching and poking each other. Siblings are siblings no matter where you’re from.
The three of us discussed serious business, however. For Israelis, Islamic radicalism wasn’t an abstract concept. There was a shooting war right at the Israelis’ door. Bella looked with concern when Shlomi talked about a recent trip to Israel, in which he and his girlfriend ventured into Palestinian-dominated East Jerusalem. “I would not go there,” Bella said, frowning.
Bella spoke of having to say that she was “Greek” or “Italian” when traveling in Europe, for fear that she would be a target of violence as an Israeli. Shlomi said that he even had to hide his being American while in Europe, let alone an Israeli. Each of them lamented that radical Islam was taking over Europe at an alarming rate. “If you want to see Paris,” Shlomi said, “you better go now. In 20 years France will be Islamic.”
I couldn’t imagine having to deny my being American. Up to now, I’ve never had to and I never will. While I might not walk down Revolutionary Road in downtown Europe with an “I’m American, Shoot Me” T-shirt, I’m certainly going to leave this world as an American. I’d hate to have the last words out of my lips be: “But I’m Canadian!”
The only time our views differed was when Bella praised President Obama’s declaration that universal healthcare was going to be a reality for Americans. Shlomi and I both told her that it was most likely not going to happen. As much as I would love to see all Americans with health insurance, I would not be in support of a government-run program that penalized or heavily-taxed one portion of Americans to cover the uninsured. “Why not?” Bella asked. “The Europeans do it.”
posted by victor cass | 3:29 PM
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