The Orbis

I have a favorite way to sum up the differences between American and German culture: in America you have a constitutional right to own a gun and in Germany, you have a constitutional right to study at the University.

I think this quip emphasizes a sum of cultural differences between Europeans and Americans, not only in terms of gun culture but also the importance of education, economics, health care and an outlook on life in general. I’m not arguing that one particular point of view is better or correct, but rather that as Americans we must realize that Europeans, and the rest of the world, do not see things the way America does.

Take for example our views on war. Europeans, for the most part, vehemently denounce the possibility of war. It is not hard to see why.

Both World War I and II were fought on the continent, and in the grand scheme of all things historical, 1941 is not that long ago. The development of the EU is largely a recent experiment in peace for the Europeans, because for most of European history, war was lingering just around the corner. Even for the peaceful citizens of the EU today, war is not a distant memory.

One night on my bus ride “home” in Regensburg, Germany, a drunken old man proceeded to tell me how his father had been a Nazi. On an excursion to Berlin, my tour guide explained to the group that his father had worked for the Waffen SS. It is difficult, he said with tears in his eyes, to explain this to his children.

Americans, on the other hand, argue for war as long as we think it is just. It is also not hard to see here why we think so. America saved the day in both World War I and II, and perhaps except for Vietnam, every other war since then. Some would argue that America is doing it once more in the war on terrorism.

My grandfather fought against the Nazis. He has a hard time talking about the war simply because any war is awful, but I can tell by the look in his eye and the way he carries himself that he has a certain pride for the sacrifice he made fighting for America.

However, the days of a clear distinction between the good guys and bad guys are over. America no longer fights clear enemies such as the “Nazis” in concrete, delineated countries called “Germany.” Rather, we’re fighting verbs and ideas in a long list of countries with a variety of languages and cultures.

We must realize that John Kerry is not voicing any commitment to abandoning Iraq, and George W. Bush has recommitted himself to the war on terrorism and efforts to bring democracy to not only Iraq but also throughout the Middle East.

Whoever wins in November, we’re in for the long haul.

Whether we like it or not, the United States is now more committed to international involvement on a social, political, and economic scale that we’ve not had for quite some time.

After September 11th, the French newspaper Le Monde declared “We are all Americans.” Now there is a French-American rift. Additionally, we’re haunted by the nightmare of Abu Ghraib and a U.S. military presence in the Arab world. Considering all that, I think it’s safe to say we could spend a little time reflecting on cultural differences.

I can’t give you the experience of what it is like to live for seven months in a foreign culture, but I can try to get you to ask yourself: what is it about where we are born, and what about us is more fundamental to our relationship with the rest of the world?

I think it is also useful to remind ourselves who we are: we are Americans. We look at the world differently simply because of where we were born. I know one thing I brought home with me was a greater awareness of the way the U.S. is viewed abroad, America’s role in the world, and how lucky I am that the cover of my passport says “United States of America.”

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