Why I like America

By Syed Irfan Ashraf (Pakistan)

The best thing I ever liked about America is the value it has put on preserving 'truth' for its generations. Nothing could best explain this phenomenon than the enriched history of this continent. The way 13 colonies clubbed together to give birth to a model world, which we know as America today, is not only a unique example but a lesson to learn from. Hey, I haven't explained yet why I like America the most. Simply explaining the theory would make me defending half truth.

But anyone who doubt my observation should visit the Marietta museum and see for themselves. Many authors have declared the treatment awarded to African-Americans as the shameful chapter of "American History," however, irrespective of criticism the "Shameful Chapter" is preserved so neatly and keenly that one never miss out bad things about American history. So much so that the museum gives enough space to the native Americans and their way of life, which truly explains the way they lived and the way they were treated. This may be quite a common fact for any student in world history. But for me, who belongs to a county where everything related to "history" is censored and tempered for the sole purpose of developing artificial identity, the American experience is quite enriching.

Whenever, I put a question to my student about the dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971, few remember exactly what happened that year. Because, our ruling elites never liked our young generations to know that Pakistan lost its eastern part 40 years ago, which emerged on the map in the name of Bangladesh. Instead of honoring the contribution of Bangla People, who lived with us like brothers for over 30 years, we preferred to ignore them and in some cases even denounced them as conspirator. Perhaps we have to learn from Americans. For a reason that their forefathers treated some people badly at one point of time, does not made them indifferent to this fact. Rather they have celebrated it as part of their history to learn from it and to reward it, in some way, by making an Afro-American their President.