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History, Repeating Itself
There's a particular day in English class in ninth grade I've found myself thinking about a lot lately. For whatever reason Ms Lesowitz asked a question that prompted people to express opinions on nazis. Many of my classmates took the opportunity to loudly exclaim their hatred of nazis. And yet. I remember looking around the room, and having this eerie chilling feeling that they weren't exclaiming their hatred for nazis because they thoroughly understood all that they stood for and rejected it on principal -- rather these rightious upper-middle-class American students were patriotically declaring what they knew was right and patriotic to declare, to evince hatred of the group that they knew it was right and patriotic to hate. In short, while hating nazis is the right answer, what they were doing I suddenly saw could very well be coming from a very nazi place, could be evidence of inclinations towards the very thing they were declaring to hate. That was Orange County, a very republican place, its very likely that a significant proportion of those students are in fact now "MAGA."
Two or three years later I was in another English class, in summer school, making up for classes I'd missed during my year in Sweden. We were asked to write what we would do if we had been in Nazi Germany. I have no doubt most of my classmates wrote about what great partisans they would be. That's a noble thought, but trying to be realistic I wrote that I'd probably do what my actual ancestors did and get the heck out of there as soon as I saw which way the wind was blowing.
Now I find myself here in Australia while America well and truly seems to be descending into fascism, and I really can't rule out there won't be some big crazy completely avoidable war involving the United States as the aggressor in the next year or two, and it feels like history is repeating itself.
I just submitted my application for Australian citizenship.
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So disheartening...
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Yeah I'm very happy to have so many passports. Australia seems very safe from going down the fascist path (though there's a political party for the next election called "Trumpets of Patriotism" who absolutely are trying to ape Trump's antics), but you can never know how things will be in 30 years, but I'll always be where the fascism isn't.
WoW!
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Thanks. Sad it's come to this though :-/
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Good luck with Australian citizenship! I can just imagine how poorly the current US would treat your beloved wife, too.
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Yeah, we have an appointment for a toursist B2 visa for her next month. That was always the plan and we'll go through with the appointment but I really think the risk of her getting immediately deported forever to el salvador upon arrival is too great for us to risk her setting foot on american soil any time during the trump administration.
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I hope your family are able to visit you at some point so they can meet her without her being put at risk.
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It is extremely frustrating and embarrassing to be an American right now. I hate what is going on in this country and I hate that people seem to be either turning a blind eye or actively embracing the repetition of some of the worst history the world has ever seen. I am trying very hard to remain hopeful that it's not too late, that this miserable ship can still be righted, but it's difficult at best. Anyway, thank you for sharing that memory. I had Ms Lesowitz too.
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Lesowitz was an odd one. Its funny, I tihnk I remember just after my time I heard she got in a (official, aboveboard) relationship with the well liked teacher from the neighboring classroom (weirdly I don't remember his name though I remember he was so much better liked than Lesowitz we were all like what really? though I don't remember any particular complaints with Lesowitz either). Also now that I'm a magazine editor sometimes I think about dropping a line to my former english teachers like hey guess what ahaha.
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In my limited experience with reaching out to past teachers, the ones I have had contact with have been happy to hear from me and felt proud of me when I tell them of my accomplishments. :D If you can track down your former english teachers, why not reach out and give them the update? They may enjoy it and you may too.
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Thanks!
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As for me, I'd do as my ancestors did - either leave or join the resistance.
- Erulisse (one L)
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I wish I could be anywhere but here.
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I'm glad I up and moved when I did, nine years ago, it does get harder as one accumulates more things and invests in one's career in a particular place.
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Good luck with the citzenship.
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Thanks!
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Thanks! (: