What is Americanism?

Robert Shepherd's article Defining what a typical American is (The Jakarta Post, Oct. 26, 1995) states that there is no set of attributes which can clearly describe a typical American. Well, there are indeed universal values which are common to all the races of the world. Yet, a good many customs, beliefs and types of behavior can be identified with specific ethnic groups.

However, the U.S.A. defies description.

In a recent Newsweek poll, 76 percent of adults agreed that the U.S. is in moral and spiritual decline.

An American is defined as one who has his home mortgaged, owes 30 installments on his car, plays golf when he ought to work and looks forward to a happy old age with social security. And, many Americans could live on what they waste!

One third of all American babies are illegitimate. Over 70 percent of all black children are born to unmarried mothers.

The U.S. is one of the major countries which owes several billion dollars to the UN. Consequently, the UN may go bankrupt.

Will Rogers once said of the members of the U.S. Congress that, every time they make a joke, it is a law, and every time they make a law, it is a joke!

It appears New York is a great town. It's the only place where you can park your car, walk two blocks and find your tires on sale!

Bob Hope said this of American movies: "If we took out all the bad language, we'd go back to silent films."

When all has been said and done, one should admire the staying power of the American presidency as an institution. In 1789, when George Washington became America's first president, there was a king of France, a Holy Roman Emperor who ruled much of Europe, a Czarina in Russia, a Shogun ruling Japan and an Emperor of China. Of all those powerful offices, only the American presidency still exists!

D. CHANDRAMOULI

Jakarta