Compost Studios

America is like a Hollywood film star. Every move it makes is scrutinized, every action broadcast, and every misstep magnified. When America is “hot” and “on top of the world,” everyone is looking to be invited to our party, to claim a connection, to be part of our circle. And when America screws up, people take a special delight in noting our failures, how far we’ve fallen, how much ground has been lost.

For that reason, it’s not easy being an American overseas, a citizen of a high-profile country that absolutely everyone has an opinion on. Every where I go, I carry America ’s image with me. Every time the President opens his mouth or the Secretary of State visits Europe , the perception of who I am and where I come from shifts for good or ill. Like it or not, I’m an accidental ambassador for America , an unpaid emissary, a lightning rod for opinion. Some days I’m tempted to try to pass as a Canadian so I can just BE.

This point was driven home for me when I was flying out of Heathrow recently. Sitting at the gate, I was watching a large screen TV that was broadcasting a news story on tourism. According to the program, the U.S. government was working to lure more tourists from Europe since international tourism had dropped after the September 11 attack and the increased security that followed in its wake. The reporters went on to investigate why, other than security hassles, people don't want to visit America .

As the reporters were providing background and voiceovers, the screen showed photos of enormously fat men and women waddling around on beaches and toting bags and cameras. According to the newscast, the American government believes Europeans have a poor opinion of America because they’ve encountered so many horrible American tourists in their own countries. Based on this premise, the U.S. government is now handing out pamphlets to Americans who plan to visit Europe to advise them on the proper way to behave to convey a positive image of America while abroad. The reporters said the pamphlet instructs Americans to respect the local culture and not complain about things like restaurant service, food, or local customs, policies and procedures or make comments comparing America to the country they’re visiting. Well, duh! Do I need the government to act like my mother?

I was mortified by the broadcast, and thought it was ridiculous the American government was treating its citizens like little toddlers, telling them to mind their manners abroad. Not to say such a message doesn’t have some merit, but I think the U.S. government is conveniently ignoring how its foreign policy has a far greater impact on the image of America abroad than the fat guy wearing a ball cap and big white sneakers talking too loud on the Metro. Most Americans that have the means and interest in visiting Europe aren’t ignorant, ill mannered, or expecting a vacation here to be exactly like one at home. I will concede Americans are often loud and have taken casual dress to an extreme, but I think most Americans are friendly and polite and no better or worse than tourists from other countries.

If the U.S. wants to increase tourism from Europe , it should worry less about “accidental ambassadors” like myself and more about the words and actions coming out of the White House, the Capitol, and the Pentagon. I’m doing my best to be a good citizen of the world. I expect my government to do the same.

April 27, 20o6

The day after I posted on this topic, Yahoo posted a Wall Street Journal article on the same thing. Check it out.