As the semester comes to a close in a frantic crush of exams, papers, and nastymessages from the Solar System, I feel a need to reflect upon the world at large,and get my head out of my textbooks.
This year has certainly seen its share of global upheavals, economic crises,and cultural maelstroms. The world, and the U.S. in particular, is a vastlydifferent place from what it was last August. I’#146;m not going to wax eloquentabout September 11 or the current economic downslide, but rather discuss theneed for Americans (and students in particular) to gain some multicultural,international knowledge.
If had I randomly polled students last August, how many do you think couldhave told me where Afghanistan was? How many would have known me that the Talibanwas Afghanistan’#146;s fundamentalist government? How many could have told methat women had no civil rights and were forced to wear burqas? My guess, notone person. Until September, most Americans did not know or care that the humanrights of these women were being violated. Hilary Clinton publicly denouncedthe Taliban’#146;s practices, but did America champion the cause of Afghaniwomen’#146;s freedom? No.
How many Americans know that 1 in 4 people in Zimbabwe is HIV positive? Howmany know that by 2010 an estimated 10 million people in Asia will have AIDS?How many people know that the international community donated $150 million whenasked for $150 billion to stop the epidemic? My guess, very few. How many peoplecurrently know that hundreds of thousands of young girls undergoing voluntarygenital mutilation in numerous African nations every year? Have you heard rallyingcries in American cities calling for the end of this inhuman treatment? No.
How many people know the history behind the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, bothsince 1948 and the Middle Ages? How many people understand the deeply interrelatedwritings and teachings of the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian religions? Whereis the informed debate among citizens? Is it only politicians and policy-makerswho have and give voice to knowledgeable opinions? When did America become acountry ruled by a few media moguls rather than by the voice of the people?
Why is America, the bastion of freedom and diversity, struggling with hatecrimes and widespread ethnic hatred? Why is different necessarily inferior?When will Americans (as well as people throughout the globe) overcome stereotypesand racial prejudice to recognize everyone’#146;s shared humanity? Why are wenot paying more attention to the world around us? If I have imparted no othershred of wisdom in my columns, then take this one clich’eacute; as truth: knowledgeis power. Read books, newspapers, magazines, Internet sources, watch television,movies, the news. Don’#146;t just passively absorb what you see and hear, thinkabout it, criticize it, and compare it to other sources. Create an informedopinion. Don’#146;t just be a spectator waiting for George W. to tell you thelatest statistics–be an active participant in the world.
