It seems to me that Americans don't understand how much the rest of the world cares about them. Oh sure there are demonstrations in the streets against them in cities around the world and their soldiers are attacked on a daily basis in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, but underneath it all they are really cared for.
Underneath the anger, the accusations, and the fear is the love of a parent for their teenage child who, although he or she mostly means well, seems to have lost their way in figuring out how to carry out their intentions without causing damage. In fact it appears to me that those who care the most for their well being are those who the Americans seem to understand the least.
Even while American soldiers are busy killing their fellows in faith and race, Muslim authors around the world seem to have taken it upon themselves to try and show America how they appear to the rest of the world. Books appear on shelves with titles that could be by lines from any number of war zones American troops have been stationed in the last ten to twenty years, written by authors attempting to enlighten Americans to the consequences of their government's actions.
The flaunting of absolute wealth, of wanton wastefulness when so many lack basic necessities, of indifference to the plight of millions of starving and homeless people, and of the bottom line meaning more than improving the lot of peoples. These are all cited as reasons for how ferment is whipped up against America and people see them as being the reason for all that ails them.
See how you look to our eyes the voices of these authors are saying. Is it any wonder the people of our countries who see no hope of life getting better lash out against you? Please they seem to be saying, open your eyes before we have all gone too far to come back. In his new book, The Reluctant Fundamentalist published by Doubleday Canada Mohsin Hamid chimes in to take another stab at enlightening those who still aren't willing to see what's in front of their faces.
Hamid's protagonist is not some poor villager whose life has been destroyed by bombs. Changez is an upper middle class Pakistani who is the spring of 2001 has just graduated from Princeton University and been given a job with a starting salary of $80,000 per annum with a valuation firm. At Samson and Underwood they prepare companies for the open market in the manner of a real estate agent appraising property. They even make recommendations on how a company can increase its value through lay-offs and outsourcing.
It even appears that Changez has gained his entry into upper class society through his burgeoning relationship with the beautiful Erica, the daughter of a wealthy New York investment banker. He appears to be well on his way up the ladder of success when the World Trade Centre comes tumbling down.
His reaction to their collapse astounds him; he finds himself curiously elated that someone has had the gumption to strike at the United States. Perhaps it is because he is in Manila at the time on a job for the company and had just been unsettled to find himself being lumped into the category of "American Oppressor" by a Filipino. When thinking about it after he felt like he was faking and that in reality he was much more akin to that Filipino than he was to his co-workers.
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