Pains of Readjustment

During my Peace Corps Close of Service conference last year in South Africa, I received a list of quotes from recently returned volunteers. This one stuck in my mind:

"I've discovered that you really cannot discuss America with Americans. They just get so defensive."

Amen. Probably more true at this moment in history than ever before.

It is impossible to discuss politics with my father. Which would make sense if he were an old stick-in-the-mud conservative Republican, with ideas that differed dramatically from my own. But he's not. He's fairly liberal, is deeply concerned about the increasing power of the religious right, and as far as I know has never had any use for any socially conservative polititian. He disapproves heartily of our current administration.

With that in mind, you would think we could politely converse on political topics. Nope. He prefers to lecture at me, even when we agree. He seems to think I'm too young and too idealistic to ever have a firm grasp on reality. And God forbid I should ever express a wish to be back in South Africa, where religious fanatics weren't running the place and things were improving daily, rather than sliding downhill at a rapid pace. He, like most Americans, seems to believe that while our political system is far from perfect, it's the best thing going in the world and we ought to be grateful for that.

I disagree. Despite what every one of us has had brainwashed into us from the moment of our conception, I just don't buy the idea that the U.S.A. is, always has been, and always will be the greatest country on earth. Sure, it's my home. I like it here. And we do have some impressive accomplishments in our history. But with all that's going on these days, I certainly can't take it for granted that we're the best. South Africa isn't the best either, but I still have moments every day when I wish I was back there. Sorry Dad.


Note added at a later date: If there were actually people reading this, I might be worried about the fact that I have just accused them all of being brainwashed. None of the above was terribly well thought-out. This is just standard RPCV complaining--so many people who live overseas have a hard time getting used to the U.S. again. So that's what this is.

Either that, or I was just mad at my dad. It happens.