Volume CXXXIII, Number 4 September 28, 2001 f

Americans among others, not above others
GENEVIVE CREEDON

In some sense, it seems proper to move on now. The flag is no longer at half-staff; our country and the world's reactions have been decided, but what do we do after this war on terrorism? How are we going to restructure international relations? We have said much about ridding the world of all the evil terrorists, but then, how will we prevent them from coming back?

It was suggested last week at the panel discussing the events of September 11, that perhaps it is time to reassess the role and idea of the nation-state. The statement was introduced with the words "maybe this will sound crazy." It didn't draw much of a reaction, but I certainly did not think it crazy.

The same idea was expressed in 1955 when Erich Fromm published The Sane Society: "'Nationalism' is our form of incest, is our idolatry, is our insanity. 'Patriotism' is its cult. It should hardly be necessary to say, that by 'patriotism' I mean that attitude which puts the own nation above humanity, above the principles of truth and justice; not the loving interest in one's own nation, which is the concern with the nation's spiritual as much as with its material welfare- never with its power over other nations."

The idea of the nation-state emerged with Italian and German unification and the growing need to create a balance of power in Europe in the 1800s. World War I was a strong confirmation of the nation-state, but it wasn't until after World War II, when Hitler capitalized on German nationalism that we saw a clear picture of the nation-state as an extremely dangerous and destructive force.

For over two weeks now, we've been shaking our heads in incredulity and sadness at all the losses we have suffered. Because America has been attacked, we seem to feel that we have the right to turn around and attack others, kill more people, thus giving justification to more people to hate America.

We do all this in the name of nationalism and under the auspices of doing the world a great favor. Terrorism, in the modern sense of the word, has been a force in the world at least since the growth of the nation-state. It has hit countless countries, but for whatever reasons, those previous attacks didn't mean as much to us when they occurred as they do now that our home soil has been attacked. So, we must rid the earth of terrorism, no matter the cost.
The implication is that the lives of these terrorists are worth more than the lives of the thousands of people who will die in this war. The implication is that we are putting our country above everything and everyone else in the world. The implication is that we are willingly starting a third world war, not because we want to kill more people, but because the lives of Americans are apparently valued more than the lives of Pakistanis, of Afghanis, of Russians, and of people from other nations.

So, instead of turning inwards to address the "concern with the nation's spiritual welfare," we are going to turn outwards to nurse our wounds. We seem to be intent on becoming the American Bully who pushes other countries around in order to make himself feel better.

I'm sure I will be accused by some of being unpatriotic, even as I proudly wear my red, white and blue. America represents an idea, and it is that concept that inspires my patriotism, that freedom, that truth, that justice?not the idea that puts Americans above others, but the one that puts Americans among others, as friends, as kind givers, and as exemplary leaders.