I was in a taxi heading to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. My driver, Ahmed, was Algerian. Last year he went home for a visit. I asked, “Did it make you happy or sad?” He said, “Sad.”
I asked, “What keeps the Algerian people down: the religion or the military?” He said, “In Algeria, it’s the military. When people are hungry, they get out of bed and think about feeding their family…not politics. We have no energy to find democracy. As long as the military keeps us poor, they will stay in power.”
Ahmed explained why he thinks the French are dealing with more post-colonial anger than the English. He said that the English really believed in “The Commonwealth” while the French just flat-out milked their colonies. The French ruled Algeria from 1830 until 1962. “When they left, we had terrible terrorism. A hundred thousand murdered. No one noticed. No one cared. It was considered a ‘domestic problem.’ Algerian terrorists were allowed to live in Germany, France, and Britain.”
I asked if he felt angry that the world stopped when 3,000 Americans were killed on 9/11 but no one noticed the hundred thousand Algerians killed in the generation before. (The issue of this disproportionate response to terrorism is one that many outside the USA consider, but almost no one speaks of in polite company.) Ahmed said, “9/11 happened on one day, the victims were rich, and you have cameras everywhere. In Algeria, we are poor and no cameras are allowed when there is killing. A hundred thousand can die and it is invisible.”
Ahmed explained how something good resulted from 9/11. Since then, Algeria’s terrorism (which includes al-Qaeda) is considered an international issue. “After 9/11, other nations stopped our terrorists from crossing borders freely and helped Algeria wage the high-tech battle at home. Since 9/11, things are much better. More peaceful.”
I asked, “Can a tourist like me go to Algeria safely now?” He said, “No.”
I asked Ahmed what the term “Islamist” meant. He said he never heard the term before 9/11. He said an “Islamist” is an aggressive and judgmental Muslim who believes, “I am right and you are wrong.” Ahmed said he was a modern Muslim—he could have a glass of wine and go to a disco when he liked. He could be my friend with no thought about my religion.
Ahmed asked if I thought Bush’s brother would be president and what I thought about Eel-hahar-eeiay (he couldn’t pronounce Hillary). I told him my political hopes.
As we pulled into the airport, Ahmed said, “I hope for a day when we discover life in space. Then we would see we are all humans together. My problem would be your problem. And your problem would be my problem. Then we might live peacefully together.”
I’m glad to see that some one is actually happy about what the US is doing. It seems every where I turn it’s bad what we are doing and we should just stop. At least the millions of dollars we are spending arn’t going unappriciated.
It would be interesting to know what Europeans think of the Bush-Clinton dynasty that has been in power since 1989. Bush, Clinton, Bush and now potentially another Clinton. Then possibly another Bush. It seems that America is unable to break this recurring cycle and put a non-Bush or non-Clinton in office.
Ahmed is very gracious. The kind of people I like to meet on travels. :)
The global perspective is worth some thought. Today marks the 63rd anniversary of D-Day.
One of the really good things that Bush, et. al. have done for the entire world is that people in many parts of the world (especially Europe) are willing to talk openly to foriegners about their governmental leaders and ours too. (Especially ours!) This used to be taboo, but no more. The attacks on 911 could have had something to do about this although perhaps the biggest boost has come from the establishment of the EU and the internet. At any rate, I like the new approach and find it one of the most interesting parts of visiting Europe now. I think it puts more sunshine in dark places. Thanks for the interesting posts Rick, and for reminding us that travel is a lot more than just eating, drinking, sleeping and picture-taking. John.
Wow, Rick, that was one of your best blogs ever. Thanks for lots of food for thought.
I loved the comment about life in space. Very Star Trek-y. That’s what I loved about Star Trek: everyone on Earth had to come together in order to exist with/defend against alien species! Ahmed is spot on. Great blog, Rick!
Why is an American life worth so much more than a life elsewhere? For those of us in the US, that question is uncomfortable, but there is no need to really ponder an answer because we won the proverbial genetic jackpot. For a culture that obsesses over Paris Hilton – who coincidentally did nothing more than be born into wealth – we seem oblivious to the seamlessness we share, and ignore, w/the rest of humanity. Can u imagine if any, much less the average, American knew the name of the person in charge of Algeria? Or was able to discuss with reason & temperance the loss of 100,000 Americans with no ramifications while another country’s loss of 3,000 brought the world to it’s feet? He mentioned as long as the military presence in their country keeps the people poor,tyrannical power will remain in control. Should be a warning against a diminishing middle class & exponentially increasing lower class in the US. Citizens can’t worry w/politics when they R trying to feed their children
yes,, i love the fact that you encourage ppl in the u.s. to travel. it is only abroad that you how the american media is played, and owned by few players. that media bubble is different in other countries. i believe so many of our woes and misunderstanding comes from this. a country such as australia, has many more travelers in the world, and the u.s. can too…
Ahmend is just a terrorist in waiting.
You had a great conversation with a fellow human being, Rick. Too bad there are still “Ben’s” in this world who seem to forget that the US is populated with immigrants and their offspring from all over the world. And that this is the source of US strength
Last year, my fiance and I were in Amsterdam. Our hotel was out of the main area and was quite a treck by trolley. While walking back to the hotel from the trolley stop thru what seemed to be a housing project, we hear a womans heels clacking behind us. I turned around and thought I recognized her from our hotel. The area seemed “seedy” so I told Marc to slow down and let her catch up to us. She did and thanked us saying she recognized me from the hotel. Her English was perfect, when asked, she told me she is from Norway. I would have thought my accent would have been a dead give away (Bostonian), but when I replied that we are from the United States she responded that she hates the USA. This mad me sad, not angry, given the current political situation, I sort of understood why. We had a long conversation. By the time we reached the hotel lobby, she leaned over to hug me and said her feelings of Americans had changed…This made me feel great. I lost her email address :(
algeria the last men’s castle