As an international student from Ghana, I come from a continent where democracy is just another word in the dictionary. It is tossed around casually but not actually practiced. Soldiers seize power from democratically elected governments through coup d'etats and hold on to their ill-gotten gains for decades. Presidents in their late 70s stubbornly refuse to budge from office, even after they have been voted out. Criticism of any government is suicidal and any signs of political opposition are nipped in the bud.
Political dissent is essential to the success of any true democracy and it has been an important part of America's political history for many years. The most recent election was keenly contested and the whole world held its breath as it eagerly waited to know who would lead the world's greatest superpower. Many Americans did not like the results of the election and they did not hesitate to make their voices heard. In Ghana, where elections are not as complex and the president is simply the contestant with the most votes, many of us wondered how Bush could have won the election even though so many more people voted for Gore.
Coming to America, I anticipated seeing these political groups in action on campus. I expected to find the Democrats already preparing for the 2004 elections and the Republicans vehemently defending their hard-won position. As the President settled into his new position and began making decisions, more and more Americans protested his politics and decision-making abilities. I watched on CNN as he reversed a decision made by the former administration concerning the reduction of pollution and I also listened to the speeches of outrage by American environmentalist groups. Other decisions were met with unfavorable responses and many people celebrated when a Republican senator defected from the party, giving the Democrats the majority.
Then Sept. 11 came and went, and took most of the expressed political dissent in this country with it. At a time like now, more than ever, it is important for Americans to exercise their freedom of speech and actively criticize or support decisions their government is taking. It is important for this college, as an intellectual community, not to close itself off from the rest of the nation, but to use this as a learning experience. More of the student body has to be openly encouraged to come out with their views for or against the government's decisions.
In the wake of Sept. 11, a few groups sprung up on campus to protest acts of terrorism and retaliatory responses by the U.S. government. After the recent flag-burning incident, focus has shifted to the significance of the U.S. flag; there were posters to evoke thoughts, forms on which to express those thoughts, and little boxes to deliver the forms. However, there is less vocal activity, and it is hard to know exactly where most of the student body stands with regard to current events and the war America is waging on terrorism.
When I call home every other week, my mother asks, without fail, "What is the atmosphere in America like concerning the 'war'?" My answer is always evasive. The only community I know in America is the College and because I have no idea where Amherst stands, I have no answer to give her. She's usually persistent: "What do the people of America think about Bush's decision to bomb Afghanistan?" I usually reply, "Well, some are in favor and some aren't." I take the middle path, knowing I'm probably correct.
She is mildly surprised: "So, even in America, people don't like what Bush is doing," she said. "Tell me what else the Americans are saying." I groan and tell her to watch CNN since she has a TV and I don't, and quickly change the subject. She presses on, persistently probing to determine the prominent opinions around campus: "What do the Americans think about Osama?" and on and on. These are all questions that I am simply unable to answer. It seems that America is refusing to be subdued by acts of terrorism, while its college students are unfortunately allowing their voices to be stifled.
It is important for the survival of American democracy that the spirit of flag-waving that has suddenly swept the country should not suppress the spirit of dissent that has always existed. Americans should remember life-and political affiliations-before Sept. 11. It is imperative that no democratically-elected leader should feel so confident of his people's overwhelming support that he begins to make decisions which, in the long run, result in dire consequences. Patriotism is good, and unity is even better, but neither should rob America of its hard-won democracy.