What makes an American american, or French french etc...

I just came back from Australia, the other adopted country of mine, and have been having some soul-searching. I read, with interest, the New York Times article on the French president Sarkozy wanting to erect some museum that is sufficiently monumental to his presidency. Like much of everything else he pursues, his ambition meets with ridicule. Given the rich culture in France, Sarkozy is surprisingly shallow, much like the scandalous Italian prime minister Berlusconi who is another joke and laughing stock.

Scandals and jokes aside, the latest Sarkozy pursuit prompts me to think of what makes a French french, or American american, or Australia australia. During my stay in Australia, this is consistent a theme of discussion (more like debate) in both news and documentary. In countries where multi-culturalism is supposed to be celebrated, how far back does one have to go before claiming to be part of that culture?

In Australia, it always starts with the painful history of the harsh treatment of the aborigines by the whites, which no one disputes about by now. Notwithstanding the 1992 Keating apology, I don't think the Australian aboriginal culture has ever made it to mainstream, or become part of the cultural fabrics of the country. Acknowledging its existence is one thing, but incorporating it into the overall culture is quite a different matter. I would venture that most, if not all, impression of the Aussie culture is one of sunshine, blue sky, relaxed laid-back surfer dude. Even the outback lifestyle, albeit all the interests and documentary on SBS, is more a spectator sport. One only needs to look at the tourist numbers going to Gold Coast, versus those venturing to the outback to acknowledge that fact.

I would hope to think that I'm a fairly open-minded person, to the point where I would correct and argue with my parents when they were making jokes about the aborigines looking like monkeys whenever they are featured on TV. Afterall, I teach my kids that one should never judge a book by its cover, so too should I walk the walk and talk the talk, to the point where I would not tolerate bigotry, even in words, however benign it might be. The aborigines have as much rights as any other Australians in the country. To the extent in which the recent migrants like those well-to-do ones from China who move up the economic and academic ladder much faster than the aborginal bums, and in their subversive collective contempt to anyone who are less fortunate than they are, it's something smack of low taste, to say the least. But when I am to be honest to myself, I find that I'm unable to truly claim that I've embraced the aborigines as fellow Australians. Perhaps it's because I rarely see any aborigines at all in Sydney proper, and I rarely have time to venture outside of my comfort zone.

The same can be said of America or France or even Britain, and elsewhere. These countries have embraced migrants from other countries. America is perhaps a more successful story, as a melting pot of various cultures, perhaps due to its sheer size and volume, compared to Australia. Still, post 9/11, no one is foolish enough not to notice the backlash against the muslim community. In fact, the same undercurrent is happening in Australia where there are suburbs considered to be invaded and even taken over by different ethnities like the Chinese (eg. Hurtsville) and the Middle East crowds (eg. the recent "land of the falafel" remarks over inner west in Sydney). It'll take a long time, if ever, for Australia to truly and wholeheartedly embrace the middle eastern culture. The chinese is a slight different matter since they are rich and can spend right now, and they are generally not as aggressive as the those from the middle eastern regions, thereby evoking less resistance in Australia in general.

Much like Keating apology, Clinton has made his landmark apology to blacks back in 1997 in acknowledge the wrongs. And of course there was also the big fuss - and such a big deal was made of it - of having a black president (Obama) elected in America for the first time, no matter that he is only half-black and for the most part, he looks and acts no different than any other white progressive presidents like Bill Clinton. Symbolism is all there is.

For all those, can we still celebrate multi-culturalism? It's a decidedly positive first step, that we should come to acknowledge the existence of others, all men being equal. It sounds all like some academic exercise. But if one is the examine the history of a country, both past and present, since history is a living and evolving concept, why would people get so offended by Sarkozy's proposal in evoking its Christian past? Perhaps if one posts the question in a more balanced way, that history, both past and present deserve to have their voice to heard, it might not be such a big deal. I would hope that one does not gloss over the difficulty and struggle, like the riots and clashes that happened in the past due to all the cultural struggle. Somehow though, people tend to use historical references to suit their current needs, like the comparison of the Crusades and the struggle between Islam/Christianity countries in the centuries past.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On a more personal front, I often ponder what message I should send to my kids. Afterall, they are more like citizens of the world, having three different nationalities (and the passports to show for it). Does it make them any less American, or Australian, or Chinese, as any other who live in these countries all their lives, much as my kids do, but yet *look* like one? Does it make them less Australia or American because they do not look cauasian? Ethnicity is a rather abstract concept to the kids. There was once some classmates of my kids pointed out to her (with no malice) that she is chinese, rather than american. That is just so wrong, I have explained to her back then. It's such a teaching moment that I have to seize on, to make my kids understand that they are no less american, or australian, or chinese, than any of their peers, simply because they look different, or eat different kinds of food. It is something that I find myself revisiting with them since moments like this recur so often, sadly or not.