Some thoughts on Americans Leaving Home

My heart goes out to Americans. They are not in an easy position. While I respect Americans making decisions to emigrate, something keeps haunting me when I reflect on the stories of people who are making a decision to come to Canada; if all the good folks leave, who is going to be left? To stand up for peace, for the environment, for human rights, for all that is right? To make the USA the kind of country it must become if humans everywhere are to survive and enjoy a meaningful existence?

Is it really not possible to live in the United States of America and not take part in profiting from the exploitation of other beings and the environment? While it is more costly and sometimes can feel like we make huge sacrifices to do so, we can make decisions each day that make us less and less a part of the world of exploitation. Those same decisions and sacrifices muct be made everywhere. Americans shouldnt be fooled, we have Wal-Mart and cheap fuel here too. We have flowers that were flown in from Columbia that are covered in pesticides and that made hundreds of underpaid workers in that country sick, and we have food that was produced using hormones, antibiotics and cruelty with equally damning environmental degradation. The massive exploitation of people and resources is global in scope and it is not just the USA that is responsible. We ALL have to start making different decisions as consumers, as voters, as neighbours and as individuals.

So I am not convinced that the answer is a geographical move. I was once in love with an American and wanted very much for him to come and live the "good" life in a "free society" with me here in Canada. He insisted that they needed him at home. He believed so strongly in his duty to his country that he is compelled to remain and do all he can to make the USA a better place. At the time I didn't understand fully what was going on in his head, but since the US election and now after having seen your letter, I am surprised that my reaction is that of understanding and supporting a decision to stay home and be a part of starting a revolution - it must happen.

While I welcome Americans to my home with open arms, I feel obligated to warn you that there is a lot of work to do here too, and I cant help but wonder what it will mean to have one less person leading the revolution back in the United States of America.

Peace,
Kate

YAY!!!

YAY!!!
Originally uploaded by katied.

winning is sweet!

Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach.

Clarissa Pinkola Estes