Folks, I've been out of commission for a little while, and I apologize for leaving you without that witty and slightly caustic perspective you have come to rely upon in these dizzying times. My trip to Europe was so overwhelming, it took me a while to find the food that best exemplified my experiences as a member of the TN2020 experience. The British Council's one-week summit brought together an assortment of public servants, politicians-in-training, intellectuals, artists and activists to discuss the historic, yet currently strained relationship between North America and Western Europe. Against the backdrop of the verdant cities, hills and mountains of Ireland, I spent a week asking some critical questions about what it means to be an American in the era of American imperialism. So, where does tea time fit in to all of this? Well, while I was in the Emerald Isle, we were often treated to fabulous lunches of English tea sandwiches. They were so neatly arranged on platters; each sandwich had the crusts removed, which allowed me a better view of the brightly colored and flecked fillings and layers. The challenge and the beauty of these sandwiches is that you may discover you love a new flavor combination your palate has never experienced (like yummy coronation chicken) and a few items that you wish you never encountered (is that beef tongue or shrimp in mayo?). The lovely assortment of sandwiches was not unlike the lessons learned while across the pond. So, allow me to share in a segment I like to call, "Good Sandwiches" and "Sandwiches that Make me Want to Vomit."
1) Good Sandwich: One of the highlights of the summit was the opportunity to discuss issues such as leadership and voting on BBC's fabulous "World Have Your Say" radio show. The voting segment involved a debate on whether voting should be made mandatory. I entered the debate on the "what a ridiculous idea" side of the discussion. I raised the issues of cost, general ineffectiveness, the creation of a massive bureaucracy and the sacred nature of the vote considering the work of the Civil Rights martyrs (see Mississippi Mud Pie) as all reasons to why voting or not voting is an important right to be preserved and not trampled upon in order to give the appearance of democracy in action. I was told by a peer from a Western European nation which will not be named, (but I will say this place is known for its fine wines, love of Jerry Lewis and penchant for exploiting the binding powers of butter), "You can't make Americans do anything." Damn, right. U-S-A. Drill, baby drill. Just kidding on that last one, I'm not an idiot.
2) Bad Sandwich: Not unlike that gelatinous beef tongue treat I accidently tasted, there were some moments of unease for me as I engaged in political discussions with my fellow conference folks. I was expecting some critical perspectives on Americans; I am a part of the liberal elite, so I share some of my European pals concerns about U.S. imperialism, the Bush administrations erosion of transatlantic cooperation and the number of Eddie Murphy 'family movies.' Yet, I was a bit surprised by some of my fellow Americans' distaste for the values I hold dear. A few conversations with some of my more conservative pals revealed that some of the young blood of the right are painfully in love with the past. Due to my support for an unnamed candidate for president (hint the guy who doesn't need to suppress his rage in order to get through a debate), I was called a communist, a socialist, and un-American. I was admonished for suggesting that race matters in America, and that the aforementioned candidate's often erratic and problematic message may have to do with race in America. (Gasp!) Even better, were young conservatives suggesting that Hilary Clinton was a victim of sexism and that Sarah Palin is a feminist hero, meanwhile refusing to take seriously the problems of gender inequality, homophobia and the subjugation of women of color in foreign wars and domestic affairs. What bothered me the most of this attitude toward Obama supporters or liberals in general, is that my peers are steeped in an anti-intellectual, Cold War era sensibility that should serve as a cautionary tale, not a political strategy for people of my generation.
3) Good Sandwich: One evening while experiencing a beautiful retreat in the Wicklow Mountains, some of the participants decided to cross our cultural divides by staging an experiment in Transatlantic Dating. Each participant represented their homeland by pretending to be on a first date. Some of my colleagues were in love instantly, others relied heavily on dirty jokes and references to football teams to guide them toward true love and others determined that love is indeed a battlefield and deployed the aloofness that only a person who has never been to therapy could enjoy. And at the end of the day, I discovered that as an American, I believe that the values of the marketplace, the conventions of the workplace and the sexual standards of MTV's "The Real World" cast are great models upon which to set my love and dating priorities. And, I'm proud to be an American. U-S-A. Drill, baby drill. Nope, still stupid.
4) Bad Sandwich: Like the stomach-churning cheddar chutney tea sandwich I gagged on, financial crisis 'jokes' are not appetizing. Whilst attending a 'political cabaret' 'performance' by a 'political comedian' who considers himself 'talented,' 'amusing' and 'educated,' I was treated to an onslaught of anti-American jokes. While I'm willing to skewer our leaders and institutions like a chicken kebab, I truly believe some thing's aren't amusing; they are just plain sad. Whether you are pro-bailout or not, the realities of the market meltdown is now the business of all Americans. For people my age who have many years ahead of them, we can wait this out, and we can learn a valuable lesson about living on borrowed money and in a financed world. For working-class older folks who need to retire soon, life just got a little more complicated. I heard one man say after the bailout passed that he wanted to see people "pay for their mistakes." By people he meant the people who are facing foreclosure, possibly headed toward homelessness, moving their children away from friends and schools, taking extra jobs to make ends meet, having their voter rights challenged and hoping they can crash on their kid's sofa until the market comes back up again. Yeah, those people are not paying anything for the nationalization of previously private industries. If you stand quietly, you can hear the sound of the government drilling all those people a new one.
So dear readers in these tough economic times, save a few bucks with some of these delightful tea sandwiches with an American twist. How about peanut butter and apple with honey on a nice wheat bread? Or use leftover stew meat and simmer in your crock pot with barbeque sauce and serve between some split Jiffy mix cornbread, with a nice pickle slice sandwiched in there? May I suggest a festive lunch of tomato slices and some cream cheese and basil? Then, invite Joe Six Pack, Joe the (Lying) Plumber and Joe who Just Lost his Job over and learn how truly wonderful it feels to 'spread the wealth' of a nice meal with someone who needs it. Try it and see if you turn into a socialist afterward.
Happy Eating!
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