Yankee Go Home

*Crshhh* Code red. We have a code red situation. Imposter, code name “Yank”, has been spotted infiltrating our numbers with potential malicious intent.  I repeat: Code name “Yank” has been observed outside of enemy territory running amok. Out. *Crsshhh*

Yes, folks, that’s right. Yours truly has gotten mixed up in some shady intercultural and inter-governmental business and has been introduced to the dark side of Euro-American relations. I will speak plainly, folks: it ain’t good.

The Saturday before Easter, amidst Catholic processions and long-winded masses at church, I participated along with nearly 20,000 other people in a protest march against the construction of an M.U.O.S. in Niscemi, Sicily. The placement of this Mobile User Objective System in Niscemi would make it one of four very large satellite telecommunication units that are dispersed throughout the world, set in place by the American Navy. But what is the matter with this Machine of Unusual Size? you may well ask. My friends, apart from the fact that the electromagnetic field of the MUOS is so strong and widespread that it would endanger all Sicilians to the risks of leukemia, cancerous tumors, infertility, diminished crop productivity, interfering with pacemakers and other electronic instruments, and the loss of biodiversity, it is also American and therefore has no business being in Italy. As I discovered on Saturday as I was marching alongside thousands of angry Italians (and one French guy), Americans are the source of a great deal of hostility here in Europe. Upon questioning, I found that the root of this hostility is threefold. First, a general bitterness towards our good ol’ fashioned American sense of entitlement. Secondly, they dislike our tendency towards a “savior complex”, even when nobody wants to be saved (“being saved” translates as “being conquered” or “being used strategically to control resources”). Finally, there is a twinge of jealousy for our oversized life over in the New World, an envy which manifests itself either through cultural imitation or a simmering resentment.

The construction of a MUOS unit on Italian soil (in a small American Navy base) is quite reasonably the cause of outrage here in Sicily, but I must admit that I had never first-hand witnessed such anti-Americanism. People carried signs bearing the message “Yankee Go Home” and “sBARACKate” (a clever play on words, meaning “pack your sh*t and leave, Obama”).  A larger-than-life Abraham Lincoln puppet with an American flag pinned to his hat and his eyes popping veins and blood dripping off of his fangs made his way through the crowd, and people chanted “Sicilia é piú bella senza di voi!” (Sicily is more beautiful without you!) Needless to say, I chose to qualm my instinct to explain that we are NOT all murdering, conquest-driven imperialists, deciding that this was no time to single-handedly take on 19,998 Italians and one French guy.

I’m sure that many of you reading this already knew the extent of dislike other nations have for the US, but deep down, I believe that most of us see ourselves as “good guys”.  Am I wrong in assuming this? As citizens of the United States we are well aware of the separation between the interests of the people and the interests of the nation, and many of us identify with an entity that is NOT accurately represented by our government.  What I mean is, the actions of our government in the eyes of Europeans and most other countries (our actions being, to them, watered-down seizing, raping, and pillaging) are NOT supported by a great number of us. Thus my reactionary defensiveness when I find myself in the midst of an anti-American parade.

Of course, we must keep in mind that many of these activists (in particular those who were chanting the loudest) are simply riot-makers and chronic protesters. A large group of people were there just to play bongos and sing “O Bella Ciao”. Naturally, anybody who educated themselves about the construction of the MUOS knows that the US Navy and the Italian government are the ones to appeal to for change. It is, naturally, easier to use the term “Americans” rather than chant the names of politicians, and so I find it easier to not be offended. And regardless the sheer quantity of people protesting the MUOS had quite an impact, and hopefully will aid in the termination or at least inhibit the construction of the MUOS unit.

To conclude, I would like to mention that I had never heard of MUOS prior to arriving in Sicily. There are three other MUOS towers already in place (Australia, Hawaii, Virginia), each one approximately 140 meters tall with emissions of 500-2000 KW. I am going to educate myself on the subject, and I urge you to as well! www.nomuos.org

With love from Italy. Until next time!

Yankee Out.