You're a-peein'

Last week as I was leaving African-American lit class, a fellow American remarked that she found it uncomfortable to sit through the America-bashing that was that day's discussion. The South African kids in the class -- one, a red-haired punkish girl (a nice change from the bleached-blond miniskirt-wearing twigs that fill the campus), the other a muscley mullet-donning intellectualish guy -- discussed Jim Crow laws and racial divisions and, more or less, explored some of America's more incriminating moments.

"I just don't know what to do when they insult the U.S.," Ms. New York said.

I guess it is kind of awkward to hear how much America sucks. In terms of etiquette, what is the best reaction? A chuckle? Agreeing unconditionally? Regardless, though, I find myself less on the defensive, more on the "hmm... well, actually, you're right. LOL SRY about the whole Iraq War thing/the last eight years" position. We read a James Baldwin essay in which he mentioned patriotism:

"I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually."

I think Baldwin had a point there. It comes off as a little insecure to deny or ignore America's flaws. Let's ignore, of course, the fact that he eventually got so fed up with life in the states that he left for France. Honestly, I feel like, while al Jazeera might watch Desperate Housewives and get a completely wrong impression of the U.S. (we don't all look like Eva Longoria, unfortunately, and Susan is just an idiot), the message we send out to the rest of the world is kind of embarrassing. Americans aren't exactly known for their intellects. Or for their quiet voices. Or their manners. (However, I'm still convinced we can do Tex-Mex better than anywhere else on the planet.)

Like Avenue Q tells us, we laugh at stereotypes because they're kind of true (another of the show's life lessons: a B.A. in English is useless, unless you can write a Tony award-winning musical and become insanely rich). Last week, our history professor lectured a minute or two past 4, when class ends, and several Americans in the front started sighing loudly and tapping their watches. Pierre from Paris (cliche? Perhaps) has much better manners, I noticed. The girl from Mexico didn't overtly exude impatience. Nope. It was just the Americans. Awesome. Somehow, I didn't quite feel like belting out "The Star-Spangled Banner."

The more I think about it, the more I think Baldwin might have been on to something when he left the U.S.* Maybe he didn't just move to France because of the racial inequalities and of feeling like an outsider in a culture in which he had no ancestral stake. Perhaps he got one request too many without a "please?" at the end. Maybe someone said "Where's the bathroom?" without first greeting themselves or talked loudly on their cell phones in the movie theater. Or perhaps he foresaw the advent of Katy Perry, mesh underwear, Snakes on a Plane and iPhones and took off running.

Today me and Alyssa went with Rick (from the Netherlands) and Tim (from Germany) to a concert at Kirstenbosch, in Cape Town. After some initial road confusion -- we quickly found out that Tim is also used to driving on the right side of the road -- we got to the venue, where we met more Germans and spread out on the grass to enjoy the music of The Dirtyskirts. The music was decent but ultimately nothing special; however, it occurred to me that I really enjoy Europeans.

Maybe that's kind of a generalization. I mean, some Europeans are kind of terrible. I wouldn't necessarily go to a movie with Hitler or invite Jack the Ripper to dinner. Even Mussolini I'm a little iffy about, and Freud isn't really my style. But I like their general attitude. They're quieter, more polite and have a good knowledge of American politics and history (I was out American president-ed by Tim the German today, I'm a little sad to say). And while I've learned during my time here that boys can be jerks no matter their nationality, I'm having a bit of a crush on Europeans in general. This doesn't mean that I'm going to adopt some faux-aristocratic European accent like some of the Texan (!) exchange students here (I really don't know what would be more pretentious), but it just means that I might bolt, Baldwin-style, the next time someone says "misunderestimated" or forgets a "thank you."

* So since I can love America while acknowledging her shortcomings, let me just note that I love apple pie a la mode. And SuperTarget. And Tina Fey. And all my friends from back home! Well, most of them. You know who you are. And yes, that first picture is Dr. Kovac, and technically he's from Croatia but he was my first TV doctor crush, so I think that counts for something.