The wisdom of Binyam...or, let's hear it for the USA

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Binyam works at the front desk of the building I'm living in while training in DC. He's from Ethiopia originally, where he was a well-educated professional; here, he's a concierge, but he's always reading books on Ethiopian history and politics. Yesterday I struck up a conversation with him about the book he was reading, and got in return an amazing monologue; I will attempt to reproduce its gems here (with appropriately liberal use of his favorite phrase, "I couldn't believe it!").

On reading Ethiopian history in the US, and US freedom of information:

You see, we are not taught these things at home. We are an ancient country, but we have no history because we are taught no history. But here I can read everything! I read many books; all of my money goes to Amazon.com. And the Library of Congress! I go there always. I have even read declassified State Department documents about Ethiopia! I couldn't believe it! We do not have these things in my country; everything is secret and locked away. But here even I can go read them!

[grabbing another of the books piled on his desk] This! You see this? [handing me a book on the Ethiopian famine] I lived through this! I was a boy, 10, but I lived through this! But we were told nothing. I have to come to your country to learn about it. I couldn't believe it! You have so many books about this, and it is not even your country. It is our country, but we know nothing.

On the election:

Oh, yes, it was very very interesting. But to me the most interesting thing was this "concession speech." I couldn't believe it! This would never happen in Ethiopia. You must never concede. No one would ever do it.
[Me: and I thought it was a very good speech, too.]
Oh, yes! Very good. Amazing, really. That McCain could concede, and he is still popular, and still powerful -- I couldn't believe it! It would never happen in my country. He would have to hide in shame, along with his family.

On ex-presidents:

You have many former presidents, yes? [Me: Four now, yes] Yes, four. We do not have such a thing. And they get to wander around, free! I couldn't believe it! In Ethiopia, you may be killed or you may be forced into exile. But no one is an ex-president.

Anybody have any idea how we get Binyam his own cable pundit show? Because, seriously, he rocks.

Binyam
American democracy

[snoopy369]

Public Access TV

Or alternately just hack Verizon/Comcast/whatever you have in DC and replace CNN with Binyam's security camera feed, and a mic, 24/7. America will thank you.

[SlowwHand]

He's a more appreciative citizen then many born here. Not a big surprise. He actually has a frame of reference.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

@Snoopy - I'm half-serious; the guy's young, good-looking, smart, and his idiosyncratic English is weird but in a charming way. His big problem is his unbridled enthusiasm, which might look crazy on TV...so he'd have to be on Fox or MSNBC, I guess.

@Sloww - exactly. It's why I love talking to him.

[Guynemer]

He's a more appreciative citizen then many born here. Not a big surprise. He actually has a frame of reference.

Exactly.

Binyam.

[Riesstiu IV]

It's true! We are the greatest.

Binyam

Yams

[Victor Galis]

He's a more appreciative citizen then many born here. Not a big surprise. He actually has a frame of reference.

And you realize it could be better still? Of course you don't, you lack that frame of reference

[Felch]

Victor, being from another dimension, has that frame of reference.

[OzzyKP]

Public Access TV

Or alternately just hack Verizon/Comcast/whatever you have in DC and replace CNN with Binyam's security camera feed, and a mic, 24/7. America will thank you.

YouTube is the new public access. Have him start a YouTube channel. More people will see him there than on public access anyhow, plus it is easier.

[Solomwi]

Any chance of getting a regular Binyam contribution to 'Poly?

Seriously, that's awesome.

[Victor Galis]

Victor, being from another dimension, has that frame of reference.

Also possibly Canada.

[Imran Siddiqui]

US

The freedom of information that we have in the Western world is usually shocking to those in other areas of the world. I can only think of my parents' homeland of Pakistan and the crap that is going on there now (well, I guess not just now but since the country's founding with a few respites), with the silencing of opposing viewpoints.

[-Jrabbit]

YouTube is the new public access. Have him start a YouTube channel. More people will see him there than on public access anyhow, plus it is easier.

This.

[Arrian]

US

The freedom of information that we have in the Western world is usually shocking to those in other areas of the world. I can only think of my parents' homeland of Pakistan and the crap that is going on there now (well, I guess not just now but since the country's founding with a few respites), with the silencing of opposing viewpoints.

I heard an NPR story on... Friday, I think... about the protests planned to try to pressure the gummint to reinstate the chief justice of the supreme court. The ringleaders of the march were in hiding, trying to avoid being arrested. The government had "temporarily" suspended the right to protest. Sigh.

-Arrian

[Arrian]

He's a more appreciative citizen then many born here. Not a big surprise. He actually has a frame of reference.

Indeed. It's all about expectations. Coming from Ethiopia, his expectations were, as evidenced by his comments, rather low. USA >>> Ethiopia.

The contrarian in me is required to ask if that's some sort of amazing accomplishment we should all be celebrating, though. It's a good thing, yes. So is the fact that Binyam is here in the US. Hurray for the USofA. But it's kinda like picking on the crippled kid...

-Arrian