Our Church is holding a gala in a couple of weeks to help support a refugee family from Afghanistan. At this gala, we will see examples of Afghani culture, food, apparel and activities. After hearing of this, I wondered aloud to Diane, "If we were in another country and a gala was held for us, what would we do, show, say and serve to show our culture?".Last night, I came across some Border Patrol agents that had found four Chinese ladies that had hopped the fence by Sasabe and were trying to find their way to somewhere to call someone to get the to New York or something like that. Only one of them spoke even a lick of English, and hers was very limited.
But, they were able to understand when one of the agents showed them the front page of a newspaper she had in her truck and pantomined a death. The front page of her newspaper was covered with pictures of Michael Jackson.
Michael Jackson is a world renowned cultural icon. Everywhere I have been in the world, I have been asked about Michael Jackson. I think when people from other places think of American culture they think of him. Would we be expected to display a sequined glove and demonstrate the moonwalk as we celebrated our culture?
Or, would we find some way to explain how perhaps the most famous person on earth, someone who had made more money that almost anyone, was deep in debt, scarred, in constant pain, ridiculed and rejected when he died. Maybe he really is a good example of our culture, as we pursue things that really don't matter and find the things we want slipping away from us.
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