When I was a medical student in India, I, like many of my colleagues, developed an admiration for Israel’s victory in the dramatic Six-Day War of 1967. By chance I started my medical training in the U.S. at Sinal Detroit and was pleasantly surprised at the lack of discrimination and the high degree of acceptance from the largely Jewish medical staff.
I was amused by the complaints from fellow Jewish residents when they had to wait in gasoline lines for few minutes in their air-conditioned Mustangs and BMWs during the oil embargo. I could not help comparing that to the experience of third world people standing in line for hours for basic necessities. Was it any surprise that people there wanted to migrate like the masses of Europe had done in the early 20th century?
As a new immigrant I was shocked during the 1976 elections to see how a single issue made even educated Americans decide their choices. I asked one of my fellow residents at Sinai Detroit “Who are you going to vote for?” His reply: “Carter!” When I asked why, his response was, ”We can get more from him for Israel!”
I later moved to Louisville, Kentucky. A well-respected Mayor of Louisville, Harvey Sloane–a physician, a veteran, and a man who walked 1,000 miles to meet people–lost the Democratic gubernatorial nomination to a rich businessman who owned KFC and saturated the media with his own funds. He married former beauty queen, Phyllis George, and went on to win the race for Governor. Yes, in those days Kentucky leaned democratic. This was my first object lesson about the power of money in American politics.
John Y. Brown Jr. Owner of KFC
and Governor of Kentucky
As a good student from India where academic excellence is admired, I was often baffled to be in an environment that used “Geek” as an insult and looked down upon academic success while admiring sports heroes.
In 1980 I made my first political donation to John Anderson who, during the campaign, debated B-Movie actor and Governor of California, Ronald Reagan. The political and economic history of the last two years can be acidly summarized in the answer to one question. It was asked in January 1980 during the first Republican debate of the campaign: ”How can any President curb inflation, cut taxes, increase defense spending and balance the budget all at the same time?”
John Anderson gave an answer that has survived to haunt the Reagan Administration. ”It’s very simple. You do it with mirrors.” This made sense and this was my first political contribution, but logic failed, and the majority fell for the “There you go again!” sound bites.
I will not even mention Monica and the hanging chads. They are too easy a target. What always surprised me was the reluctance to resign ranging from Nixon to Clinton. Another incident that comes to mind was an Illinois senator who received a drunk driving ticket and not only did not resign but successfully beat the rap. Even in the young democracy of India, a minister resigned if a Railway accident occurred under his leadership.
Another ugly side of American xenophobia that I recall was after 9/11. When I was on my usual run in Green Bay, a neighbor from Thailand stopped me and asked if I had received any threatening phone calls. When I said “No”, he told me that he’d gotten a few telling him to out of the country. This was soon followed by an attack on a Sikh Temple in Milwaukee.
Winston Churchill is reputed to have said that Americans, after trying everything else, will do the right thing. The recent election proved that not to be the case. The American myth that we are better than others and the idea of the shining city on the hill now sounds hollow.
As a student of Biology, I realize that, alas, we are not like Bonobos but more like Chimps. And our tribalism, our regression to “us vs. them”, and our inner misogyny, racism, isolationism, xenophobia and admiration for a strongman are no longer beneath the surface.
Bharat Pathakjee MD, is a retired cardiologist who earned his initial degree in his native India and took additional training in Michigan and at the University of Louisville.
Dr. Pathakjee enjoys reading, running, and learning history, science, and philosophy. (Well, actually, Bharat enjoys learning about anything and everything.)
Leave a Reply