Published: May 13, 2008 08:32 pm         

LION AND THE LAMB: Progress has already been made in this election

"Like attracts like" and "birds of a feather flock together" are old and common sayings indicating a certain amount of truth in human nature. However, we are probably all guilty from time to time of taking the reverse, negative connotations of these aphorisms too far.

As the population dynamics of our Cumberland County grow and change, we still hear all too often statements like "That's not the way we do it up north," or "Who cares how you did it up north?" These tensions can arise between persons who look very much alike, with just a hint of differing accents when speaking English. Increasingly we are experiencing an influx of newcomers who both look and sound different from "the natives," even different languages and skin color. Emotions can easily be aroused in regard to people whom we perceive as "different."

Xenophobia, fear or hatred of foreigners, has made an appearance in our country, especially since 9/11. It has made us suspicious of anyone who looks different, talks different, or acts different from what we consider "the norm." This has become a hot political issue in regard to "illegals" or "undocumented aliens." We are especially uneasy with our long border with Mexico, which is nearly impossible to completely control. Interestingly, we are not nearly as concerned about the even longer border with Canada — after all, those are people "like us."

Americans have a history of living in relative isolation from the rest of the world, with large oceans to the east and west — barriers which have become virtually non-existent in the modern world. In spite of the ease of international travel, many, perhaps a majority of Americans, go through their lives with very little knowledge or personal experience of the rest of the world. We have very limited understanding and appreciation of how the people of the rest of the world live and think.

During nearly 20 years of living and working in rural Ghana, I encountered many "expatriates" from all over the world. I observed a tendency, especially for Americans in U.S. government service or business, to live quite isolated lives, with most of their non-official contacts being with other expatriates. Rare were the persons who really integrated into the local society, thereby becoming much more understanding of the lives, problems and feelings of the local population.

This is why I can get excited about the present presidential political campaign. For the first time we have a candidate who is not "just like us," who breaks down the barriers of class, ethnicity, and provincialism, who has lived in another culture (Indonesia) as an ordinary individual (not of prestige), and who brings a potential of being able to bridge the huge divide that separates the United States and most Americans from the rest of the world.

Whether Barak Obama becomes president or not, or even the candidate, I take comfort and encouragement from the progress this campaign brings to the United States and the world toward better international understanding and appreciation.