Here we are again, celebrating America's 237th birthday. And while we all associate this day with barbecue, beer and fireworks, I want to take a step back and reflect what it means to me, to our family. Being French and having two American born children, there are some obvious connections between the two countries I lived in. They both shared an ideal of equality and freedom, respectively reflected in the Declaration of Independance and Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen.
For the past 11 years, I've lived in a few States, met a lot of people with different backgrounds and stories but there was one thing they could all agree on: they all felt American and proud of it. And when fourth of July comes around, the feeling is amplified and celebrated, proudly. From the Sri Lankan immigrant with a tattooed eagle on his arm to the 4th generation Irish-American, they all are part of one nation.
Last time I felt this unison back in France was... 15 years ago. The French national soccer team won the World Cup on July 12, 1998. Two days later, France was celebrating Bastille Day. From the smallest village square to the Champs Elysées in Paris, the country was a Nation again. No differences were made, the blue-white-red flag was seen everywhere and huge celebrations lasted for a few days. For all intents and purposes, we were French.
Unfortunately, it didn't last long and we were back to square one. The country never seized the opportunity to capitalize and rebuild the relationship with its growing immigrant-based citizens. The French flag and Marianne, highly symbolic, were retaken by the National Front, the heinous right wing "party". The culminating point being the shocking 2002 presidential runoff between its leader, Jean-Marie Lepen and the Republican party candidate, Jacques Chirac. The latter won the elections with an overwhelming score (above 80%), but the damage was done. Once symbol of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, the French flag was demonized.
For that one magical night however, I saw youngsters and elder alike embracing it, feeling proud. Outside of sports events, one cannot be seen with a flag and not be labelled a nationalist. I would call it all but nationalist.
I left France shortly after I was naturalized in 2001. Of course, I was happy but to be honest, I didn't feel much different. For me, it was a key which could open a few more doors. I didn't have any strong bonds with the country's history and was just one of those salvaged refugees for a while. That changed when I came here.
Being in a foreign country, I was "the Frenchie" and had to live with the label people gave me here. But, there was no or little harm done because of that. Well, maybe a little during the whole Iraq thing, but that's over now. America was built by immigrants and that word has a different feel, meaning from what I experienced in France. What I mean to say is, the vast majority of Americans accepted me being different, but only because I made the necessary efforts to be part of it. And just like many young Americans born from immigrant parents, I will make sure my kids understand where their parents come from and not take anything for granted. But I will tell them to respect, cherish and protect their country, just as I learned to do so.
J adore ton post. Il est très juste et rempli de sincérité et de vérité. En France c est ce qui me manque la fierté de mon pays. Ici on expose pas sa joie d etre français et le 14 juillet pour ceux qui doivent defiler, cela représente bien souvent une corvée. Pour exemple, j ai été pompier volontaire aux US et en France et bien la bas je ressentais une fierté que je ne ressens pas ici. Et puis en France a moins d habiter paris, la fête nationale ne met pas la foule en liesse. Donc j avoue que defiler dans mon village devant 20 personnes qui au final se trouvent bien souvent à etre des élus locaux...ben je trouve que l on fait un peu pitié. ....bon en plus je n ai pas un esprit très militariste donc ca n aide pas....et dire que je suis issue d une famille de militaire. Bon week end
ReplyDeleteMerci, c'était le but! C'est bien dommage de ne pas ou plus avoir cette "fibre" patriotique. C'est d'autant plus vrai lorsque des événements malheureux arrive. Je trouve qu'ils sont tous solidaires, en tout cas beaucoup plus qu'en France.
DeleteTout à fait d'accord, en France on ne ressent pas toujours la fierté d'être Français. Tu la ressens en fait quand, oui, y'a des événements sportifs comme un grand match de foot, ou bien aux JO, mais le reste du temps, et même le 14 juillet, bof, ça fête pas fort, sauf à paris comme le dit Sandrine.
ReplyDeleteJe ne sais pas non plus comment ça se passe aux Etats-Unis, mais au Québec, notre fête national c'est le 24 juin à la Saint-Jean, et là tout le monde sort dans les rues avec les drapeaux, les municipalités recrutes des chanteurs pour la soirée et tout le monde se regroupe soit au parc de sa ville pour voir le show ou bien on se regroupe chez des amis pour fêter. Et même loin de chez moi depuis 12 Saint-Jean maintenant, je ressens cette immense fierté d'être Québécoise quand arrive le 24 juin ;o)
J'aime beaucoup ton post aussi, prendre le temps de réfléchir à cette question de fierté national, c'est beau :o)
Bisous les zamis et bon Independance Day! :o)
La question d'identité pour un Québécois, c'est quelque chose effectivement! On retrouve cette fierté dans les communautés basques, bretonnes et corses par exemple, avec un certain désir d'indépendance.
DeleteCe n'est pas pareil aux US, même si tu as tout un tas de communautés différentes qui sont fières de leurs appartenance à telle ou telle communauté. Mis à part les Texans, mais ça c'est une autre histoire!