January 28, 2008
The Missionary and Anti-Americanism
One of the tensions faced by the American missionary in today's world is that of increasing anti-Americanism. While the level of irrational America-hatred is not nearly as high here in Brazil as it is in many other countries (not to mention within the ranks of the Democratic party) it is still very evident.
On Friday night Mikey and I went out for a little father-son time, and ended up at the food court of our local mall. There is a little pool hall located right next to where we were eating, and the sign above it caught my eye:
The picture shows Brazilian president Lula playing pool with Venezuelan president/dictator Hugo Chavez. I found it interesting. The common wisdom here is that many Brazilians like Hugo Chavez, but few would actually want to be governed by him. I was moderately intrigued by the mural.
My intrigue turned to shock and dismay, however, as I turned my head and saw the rest of the mural:
In case you can't figure it out, here we have Osama bin Laden playing pool with George W against a panorama of New York City on 9-11. Compare the expressions of Osama...
...with that of W:
Who is winning? Who is losing? Who is the hero? Who is the zero?
But the caricature of President Bush does not bother me nearly as much as does this:
For me, it seems like yesterday that I awoke to images of the towers collapsing, of people jumping from the top floors and landing with a sickening "thud" on the ground. I have listened to the desperate phone calls of victims who knew that rescue was never coming. No matter what your feelings toward America, it is absolutely inhuman to poke fun at that event.
I am sure I am not the only missionary to feel this tension. I can shrug off the Bush=Hitler graffiti, and "America wants to invade the Amazon" nonsense. However, to me shrugging off such disrespect to the victims of that horrible event would be like shrugging off the holocaust.
Itacyara and I are not here in Brazil to serve the US or her interests. We are here serving the Kingdom first, and the Brazilians second. I readily confess, however, that standing in front of that mural I had a hard time remembering that.
Posted by Andrew on January 28, 2008 9:48 AM.
Comments
Posted by: Pregador27 at January 29, 2008 7:32 AM
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Andrew, I think part of the animosity toward the USA is caused by a very anti-American media. Here we have some of the same problems with the media, but being Americans we still love our country no matter what the media sells us. Brazilians are influenced by their media and with much one-sided reporting tend to disfavor the USA. Although, when I have been on mission trips in Brazil I have only caught minor glimpses of disfavor.
One example- last trip I spent some time with my sisters-in-law. One was very protective of me and walked holding my arm or hand. When on a bus with her I noticed one gentleman giving me a dirty look. No words, no threats, just a look. That was one of the very few times I dealt with anything negative.
I do not know how it is in South Brasil; having only been to the airport in São Paulo and Brásilia, but in the North it seems to be a minor issue.