- I just read with great interest the article entitled
"Holocaust Survivor Leaving US"
and have a comment.
-
- Just two weeks ago I made a short trip to San Diego CA
accompanying my husband who was attending there an international conference.
It was the first time I was going back to the US after ten years of living
in Europe: I am Romanian and live in Switzerland. Between 1992-1995 I studied
and lived in Washington DC.
-
- When coming from Europe, visiting the US seems like letting
sunshine coming in your heart. People are open, nice, genuine helpful
and friendly, always ready to look without fear or suspicion into your
eyes and tell you something that brings a smile on your face. I love traveling
in the US. "Yes, but you know, they are superficial" sounds the
European stereotype answer when I speak enthusiastically about Americans.
"So what?" I reply crankily, "I don't need to marry them!
I just enjoy a smile and a good mood for a few seconds and that's enough
to make me feel happy. In Europe this is rare."
-
- Compared to the US neither Switzerland nor Romania offer
to a traveler so many spontaneous smiles, the lightness of being, the simple
care for a general pleasant atmosphere in any public space be it the street,
a lobby, a shop, a restaurant or even a public restroom. In Switzerland
people are mostly distant and reserved. In Romania they are often frustrated,
sad or mad and they show it to spoil the ambiance. In the US people see
and treat each other with a sort of disinterested kindness, which is neither
intruding someone's privacy, nor does it look for gossip. It is just an
attitude which tries to make the best of the present moment - here and
now. I like it.
-
- The ending gala of my husband's conference was organized
in the Sea World, the famous amusement park near San Diego. The "Shamu
show" of the killer wale was the big attraction. Along with other
several hundreds of people I was following the acrobatics of those beautiful
sea creatures. On the screen behind the pool one could see the show in
magnified images. There was fun in the air, loud music and everybody was
relaxed and happy.
-
- At one point, with no relation to the show, everything
stopped and on the screen appeared the image of an airport where people
turned their head in one direction: the gate were a group of American soldiers
were coming out. Looking at them people in the airport started clapping
their hands in admiration. The magnified images of the soldiers were running
slower than normal, a glorious music started on and impressed, some of
the audience clapped their hands. I did not. I was impressed, too, but
in another way.
-
- I was disgusted. Images of the dictatorship I lived
through in my first 30 years of life in the communist Romania kept rushing
through my mind. I remembered Ceaucescu the "great" political
leader who destroyed the economy of the country, impoverished the population,
banished among many other individual rights the freedom of speech turning
all of us into scared rats who do not dare to speak out their mind about
the political situation because they would be immediately imprisoned and
killed.
-
- I remembered his megalomaniac shows, were he was celebrated
like a hero and everybody in the audience had to clap their hands under
order because they were under surveillance and if they did not clap they
were punished, while at home and in small trustful circles of friends the
same clappers would complain about the disaster "the hero" brought
to the country.
-
- While some were applauding in the audience, I started
repeating loud "Boo I don't like this, I do not agree with this".
I was alone and perfectly aware of how ridiculous it looked one woman suddenly
protesting among clapping people but I went on. An elderly lady turned
back to me and said "you might not like it madam but my son is there"
I swallowed down with mixed feelings and only had time to say, "I'm
sorry for you". As quickly as it came, the spot finished and the
show went on as if nothing happened.
-
- Of course, the show must go on, but for how long I wonder?
How long do the sons of these friendly and open people have to fight a
war that had no proven grounds? How long do they have to let themselves
dehumanized, to kill or be killed, torture or be tortured under drugs,
indoctrination and war propaganda? How long will they volunteer for a fight
which destroys just as much as the previous dictatorship without bringing
any freedom and democracy what so ever? How long will it take until all
Americans (as people around the world attending an international conference)
will be forced by spots like this to clap and endorse the war, without
being able to express another opinion?
-
- Alina Mondini,
Switzerland
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