With the weapons inspectors heading into Baghdad today, there will be intensification in the debate on what to do if Hussein gives the U.N. team trouble or if there is any evidence found of nuclear weaponry. Furthermore, the spotlight will be on President George W. Bush and his reaction to the verdict from the weapons inspectors. In essence, the credibility of the United States’ strong words of condemnation now hang in the balance.
With these new issues coming to the limelight, U.S. students here in Cork are likely to have to explain the actions — good or bad — of their country to the insatiably curious Irish students. European students in general, who only have a strongly liberal media to give them information on the United States, are looking for explanations of U.S. actions. Ideally, in this situation, American students would honor their country by explaining the different political ideologies and then presenting why they agree or disagree with them. Unfortunately, many left-wing American students have abandoned any defense of their country in an effort to gain converts and disciples in European Socialist countries.
It is common knowledge that Europe tends much more toward socialism than the United States. As expected, many European students either don’t understand or strongly disagree with the policies pursued by the U.S. government. Regardless, the vast majority is willing to listen to the reasons for policies coming across the ocean of which they have minimal understanding.
Therefore, it is all the more important that students representing America abroad should stand up and explain the mental attitude of Americans. Once doing so, it is then perfectly acceptable to agree or disagree with the current trend in American thinking. These are the very fundamental aspects of nationalism, which have nothing to do with different political ideologies. The real crime is not giving European students an accurate portrayal of why politics are the way they are.
For extreme student activists, who are the worst perpetrators of this disgrace to their country, it is very easy to immediately (and mindlessly) agree with socialist students and attack Americans to appease potential European friends and, more maliciously, converts. Especially with a newly elected Republican Congress, many leftist American students, at least in Cork, have decided to carry on their rants of hatred to Irish students. It would be acceptable to explain to Irish students why liberals disagree with the U.S. government. However, it is a disgrace to not even present Irish students with an explanation of American thinking. The decidedly liberal Irish Independent and Irish Times don’t give Irish students both sides of the story. Unfortunately, neither do many of the American students.
For example, a particularly curious Irish student asked an American friend of mine why Bush thought it necessary to take action against Iraq in the war on terrorism. Rather than explaining the rationale and then supporting or condemning it, she said, “”Don’t look at me, I didn’t vote for him.”” Looking over to me, she continued, “”Ask him, he’s the Republican,”” with a sneer. It then became my obligation to explain the policy of the president in detail. Then, of course, I added that I agreed with most of it, and disagreed with some of it. I would hope that the curious Irish student would eventually make his own decision based on knowledge of the whole situation, not based on insults against Republicans.
As these verbal insults to America continue and escalate, it becomes more clear which students have absolutely no respect for the country that gave them the freedom to travel abroad.
Before leaving the country, the Programs Abroad Office told the students that it was a wonderful opportunity to get a better understanding of other cultures. As a parallel, we were told that we would be asked many questions regarding our own culture. As representatives of the United States, it is a wonderful opportunity to give foreign students an insight into American culture. By viciously denying any ownership of current American political thought merely because they disagree with it, these students are destroying one of the most important facets of being American students abroad.
Thus, because so many extremists in college politics are bent on the utter disowning of their country, they are not only showing their ingratitude, but also ruining foreign students’ chances at gaining insight into the average American’s thought process and culture. In light of an already cynical Europe, this is the worst representation of America one can offer a European student.
A great majority of college students love their country and everything it has done for them. As a result, many students walk away from social encounters with greater understanding of different cultures and have gained an even more “”open mind.”” Unfortunately, America has sent a fair amount of extremists over to Europe. These supposedly open-minded students then immediately make it their crusade to enourage greater hatred of the United States in the minds of European students.
Consequently, it is an ironic concept that we should be trying to obtain peace and understanding, when such a degree of our own college peers are out there so vividly sowing seeds of hatred and contempt for their country. If these students were half as intelligent as they think they are, then their fair-minded approach and honest, justified dissent would finally be something more than just “”whiney college activism.””
As the eyes of the world watch President Bush and his reaction to the upcoming Iraqi confrontations, America’s hope in its students should be that enough of the appreciative, intelligent and freedom-loving students will be able to show our European counterparts the hatred and intolerance of extremists that are somehow representing us all over the world. Regardless of the outcome, consent or dissent, war or peace, hopefully some college students will have a greater understanding of America’s culture, not just the fringes of extremism.
