Love And Peace, Family and Friends.
A few years ago, I attend a reunion
Homecoming at 1 of my almae mater, Hampton University. As is typical when seeing an old friend for
the 1st occasion in nearly 20 years, we catch up on what we do, who
we are with, and where we travel. A
number of my fraternity brothers talk about international travel, going on holiday,
business trips, and relocation. And we
discuss whether we have the occasion of being in each other’s respective
hometowns. I mention to 1 fraternity
brother that people only visit Cleveland if people have a specific reason. And I mention that 1 of the advantages to
living in Cleveland is knowing that family and friends are Truly visiting our
city to share company with us, rather than to simply “see the sights” and
holiday.
I am born and raised in Cleveland,
Ohio; what many also refer to as the
Cuyahoga area. Specifically, I spend my
first 5 years of life living in East Cleveland and then move a few miles (and a
few socioeconomic stratospheres) away to Cleveland Heights. I go unto graduate from Cleveland Heights High
School, before leaving the area to study and work for a number of years. Over a decade ago, I return to our Cuyahoga
area and I currently live in the Coventry neighbourhood of Cleveland Heights.
So, I am a life-long Clevelander. I am committed to our Cuyahoga area. And it is through this experience, and
particularly from living abroad, that I can safely identify Cleveland as the
heart of American self-loathing.
That may take a while to digest, and a few
sentences to explain. Many may readily
acknowledge Cleveland as the “armpit” of the United States, the “mistake by the
lake,” the “rust belt city;” the jokes
and euphemisms continue on and are widely known, even by the most recent
arrivals to the United States. So,
Cleveland’s lowered status on the American totem pole of cities may be a consensus
agreement; and some may further argue
that Cleveland is at the bottom.
However, many may take issue with the appellation: “Heart Of American Self-Loathing;” particularly as it connotes an imperfection,
a weakness or semblance of inferiority, within the larger American identity. How dare a Clevelander inflict his loser ways
on the greatest nation on Earth.
Yet to properly understand America is to
understand the nature of its self-loathing.
Within his explanation of impermanence, the Buddha teaches that for
every phenomenon in existence, within that phenomenon there is the seed for its
extinction. In a psychological manner,
it may be considered that within every individual’s yearning to live, there is
also an intrinsic (perhaps often latent) aversion towards the transgressions
that facilitate that life. In a simpler
manner, I posit that every phenomena in existence has an antithesis. So, according to this reasoning, if there is
an “American Pride,” there is also an “American Shame.” And within its few centuries of existence, America
has a tremendous amount for which to celebrate as well as that for which to be
shameful. But, to understand the nature
of American self-loathing, it is necessary to consider how America originally
comes to be and how America continues.
After Iberian explorers find the land of
the Western Hemisphere (also referred to as Taínoterranea), colonists from
primarily England/Britain and additional European nations inhabit the Northwest
Quad of Earth. Within the hierarchy of
European society, these colonists actually rank as middle-level executives who
are sent by superiors to determine the economic viability of establishing colonies
within the Western Hemisphere. And as
this economic viability proves lucrative, the European hierarchy continues to
send its middle- to lower-level executives and plebeians to inhabit the
land. These original American colonists
are subservient to the European hierarchy and are deemed comparatively unworthy
of direct ascension within European society.
As the years progress, additional European colonists arrive in America, because
these colonists search for religious refuge from persecution and ostracisation
by European convention. So, as it turns
out, as is the nature of colonists and colonialisation, American society is
comprised of rejects from European society.
As the years progress and the nature of the
subservience increases, the American colonists throw off the yoke of feudal
subjugation by European hierarchy and fight a bloody revolution to become
independent; America. And as the years progress, America
experiences increased innovation and economic prosperity, and the successes
multiply. There is much to
celebrate. And America welcomes
additional immigrants from primarily Europe, who also experience impoverishment,
subjugation, and persecution from European hierarchy. And eventually, America becomes the richest
and most powerful nation on Earth. Yet,
amidst its dominance and pride, there is the lingering reminder that the
foundation and premise of America is based upon an experience of inferiority.
So, Americans go to NFL games, buy SUVs,
watch air shows, and buy online, all to revel in what is achieved over the past
few centuries. And when that nagging reminder
inevitably emerges, it is necessary to put it somewhere. Often it is placed against foreigners,
however, it also becomes necessary to channel this angst within an inner
Realm; a place that is part of us, but
that is also different from us; a place
like Cleveland, Ohio.
So Cleveland takes it. Cleveland is an appropriate target: it has a large European immigrant population
to coincide with the historic face of America;
along with a substantial African population and emerging Latino, Arab, and
Asian populations (and there is even a Native population) to coincide with the
emerging face of America. So Cleveland
has a face that is self-recognisable, and for some reason it is simultaneously,
tacitly designated as the “other” within us.
Maybe it is because the river catches on fire. Maybe it is because the mayor’s hair catches
on fire. Maybe it is because it clutches
unto an antiquated industry that previously provides so much prosperity and
pride. For what reason does any child
ridicule and ostracise another child, other than because that other child is
different (and the 1 child is insecure)?
Yes, Cleveland takes it. Cleveland takes the brunt of American self-loathing. And it becomes a culture. Amidst all the specific ethnic biases and
xenophobia that exists within America and specifically within America’s armpit,
all Clevelanders share this culture of self-loathing. We are sent here to be part of this. We settle here and are part of this. We return here and are part of this. It is a bond that we share with each other,
despite any of our differences. It is
part of being a Clevelander. So, amidst “the
curse,” when we see each other and talk about the most recent sports
disappointment (the drive, the fumble, the shot, the departure, the decision, …),
we are building upon this bond and upon this culture.
Yet, to be disappointed we must first have
optimism. And to be continually
disappointed we must continue to have optimism.
And as Clevelanders, we do continue to have optimism. We recognise the intrinsic value that exists
within ourselves, within our institutions, and within our communities; and we recognise the tremendous potential
that exists within each of these, and within each of us.
If Cleveland is the heart of American
self-loathing, Cleveland is also the epicentre for American
transformation: the place where this
self-loathing is transformed into self-acceptance and self-love. To do this, we must recognise the past
difficulties that we experience: the
persecution, the subjugation, the rejection, and the accusations of
inferiority. We must also recognise the
past transgressions: what we do to
others and to ourselves to establish our experience of prosperity today, and
the lingering effects of these transgressions.
We must recognise and strengthen the intrinsic value (I offer also known
as a Divine Presence) that exists within each of us and all of us; and we must be reconciled with each other,
beyond our shame and beyond our pride.
And through this reconciliation, through this transformation, we gain
invaluable insight towards global reconciliation and global transformation.
A few years ago, a friend involved with Occupy
Cleveland addresses the significance of the Occupy Movement existing in
Cleveland. He references the fact that
Cleveland is often disregarded as an insignificant market, an insignificant
city in which to invest and build an operation.
And he mentions that it is exactly because we are so often ignored and
dismissed that we are so significant.
Because, when we are indeed able to build something within our midst,
that means that it can be built anywhere;
that family and friends within other cities can take heart, be
encouraged and be inspired, to do likewise within those other cities.
This is part of the irony of rooting for
the underdog: we contribute and rely
upon the favouritism that corners the underdog within a position of
dubiousness, yet we rejoice in the success of the underdog because it affirms
the underestimated potential that exists within each of us.
It is within this context that the most
touted active basketball player on Earth returns home to our Cuyahoga area
after winning championships abroad. It
is within this context that Clevelanders are researching and developing
methodologies for emerging from the scrap heaps and rebuilding a
socioeconomically and environmentally enlightened metropolis. It is within this context that humanity is discovering
the systems and institutions for global cooperation and harmony that propels us
into a new age of social evolution and discovery.
May we continue to find, concentrate, and
build upon, the inevitable merit that exists within all of us.
Love And Peace,
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