This Jewish Life: Perceptions of America

Monday, March 31, 2008

Posted By James Besser

This Jewish Life: Perceptions of America

I traveled to Oxford, England last week on a much-anticipated and needed vacation. I was excited to step away from my desk and leave behind my daily tasks and stresses. I was especially looking forward to having some time off from the typical political beltway conversations.

While I definitely reached the level of rest and relaxation that I was hoping to obtain, I was unable to escape the political discussions-- especially about the Presidential race. I was genuinely surprised by the number of people (Americans, Europeans, and Australians alike) who seemed to be following and felt invested in the outcome of the 2008 election.

Unfortunately, I am not an expert on Presidential politics and I am far more interested in talking about policy issues (particularly the ones in my portfolio) than about individual politicians, so I was a bit out of my element when questions were posed.

But it was interesting to engage with people who were so geographically removed from the election and yet were deeply interested in its results. Being in DC, it's easy to forget that this election isn't just one of the wonky DC topics of discussion-it's being debated, discussed, and followed around the country and around the world.

The most interesting comment about the U.S. that I heard from someone in England (completely unrelated to the election) was--"Oh you're from the US. They don't care about the environment over there." While said partially in jest, this comment was a clear indication of the perception that people around the world have about U.S. environmental policy.

And their perception isn't skewed. Compared to what I saw in Oxford, we are certainly lagging behind. There were various books with titles like "The Green Guide to Oxford" and informational signs and cards everywhere advertising the environmentally-friendly aspects of businesses and events. I was impressed. And ashamed-- to be from a place that was not prioritizing environmental protection to nearly the same extent.

Throughout the trip, I alternated between being proud to be an American and embarrassed of being associated with some of our less-progressive policies. Perhaps the results of the election will make my odds of feeling proud even better…

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well done

04/09/08 @ 01:44 PM | Posted By samantha wow your very right

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