Happy 2013!

Next week I’ll experience my third New Year’s Day here in Hyderabad.  It’s amazing how quickly time passes.  I’ve become such a confirmed Hyderabadi that I can even contemplate the possibility of staying up with friends celebrating New Year’s Eve and making it until breakfast is served at 4 am.  (I’m not sure that I’ll actually achieve it, but at least I can contemplate it!)

Happy New Year!                             

As we prepare to usher in 2013, it seems as though the world is drowning in bad news.  Horrific crimes in the U.S. and in India create a pervasive sense of insecurity and highlight the fact that man is capable of unspeakable evil as well as of good.  Discussion of the U.S. economy is focused on the threats of debt and rising inequality, while in India growth has moderated and power woes have intensified.  Turmoil continues to afflict many parts of the world, with the Central African Republic presenting the latest crisis.  There are plenty of reasons to engage in negative thinking.

In this context, the resolution I am making for the New Year is to think and act positively.  By that, I don’t mean ignoring the negative, but refusing to let it immobilize me.  As an individual, it is hard to feel powerful in the face of bad news, but by acting positively, one fosters hope and offers encouragement.  And concerted positive action makes change possible.  Indians and Americans both share this experience; the civil rights movement in the U.S. and the independence movement in India were two of the greatest examples of peaceful citizen activism of the 20^th century. 

What is true about momentous social events is also true on a personal level.  If things go wrong in the office, I remind myself that I love my job, and the minor obstacles that arise don’t get me down.  I’m not perfect, and there are times I let negative emotions affect me, causing me to behave in ways I’m not proud of and affecting both my own happiness and the enjoyment of others.  For example, it happens sometimes when I make a couple of really bad shots on the golf course.  If I get mad at myself and think negatively, I start playing worse, I become much worse company for my playing partners, and I stop enjoying myself.  If instead I take the bad shots in my stride, I generally recover my usual standard of play and I enjoy the game. 

It’s a long way to go from my golf game to the mobilization of citizens to fight violence against women, but in both cases, despair is not helpful.  Envisioning a more positive future provides the energy to make it happen.  And you never know how big a difference your individual decision might make.  A recent editorial column by Nicholas Kristof described how a casual thought of Ted Turner’s transformed millions of lives.  Read it and it’ll make you smile—a great way to start 2013. 

Happy New Year!

Defining Diversity

I’ve had wonderful opportunities to serve at a variety of Embassies and Consulates during my career, but one thing I’ve sacrificed is time at home in the U.S.  I haven’t lived in my own country since 1998.  I visit regularly, and in fact the State Department requires that diplomats spend at least a month on holiday in the U.S. between assignments, but because I’m not there on a day-to-day basis, changes in public attitudes and public mood that occur gradually may be more evident to me than they would be if I lived at home.  Some changes are likely temporary—like the current polarization of our political space, or the sense of insecurity and pessimism caused by the current economic slowdown.  But others are clearly fundamental, long-term trends, such as the incredible growth of visibility and influence of Indian Americans, or the reduced tolerance for cigarette smoking. 

  

Looking back through U.S. history, one clear, long-term trend is our increasing acceptance of diversity, and with it the extension of equal rights and protections.  Our founding fathers in the U.S. Declaration of Independence said “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”  Americans are proud of this philosophical legacy, but we also recognize that we did not, in fact, provide all men with equal rights for most of our history.  The Constitution of the U.S. acknowledged slavery by apportioning representatives to the states through a formula that added to the number of “free Persons” another number representing three-fifths of “all other Persons.”  It was only in 1866 that the sixteenth amendment to the Constitution provided equal protections to African American men, and only in 1920 that the nineteenth amendment extended constitutional protection to women.  It took almost a century after the sixteenth amendment for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to outlaw discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion or sex.  When John F. Kennedy ran for office in 1960, the election of a Catholic was considered revolutionary, just as President Obama’s election was a watershed moment for racial equality. 

This trend of broadening U.S. legal protections and social acceptance continues to this day.  Since the Civil Rights Act was signed, we have enacted legislation prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability, age, and, most recently, genetic information.  An area of focus today involves gay rights.  The U.S. has not yet enacted legislation specifically prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, but President Clinton signed an executive order in 1998 banning discrimination in federal employment, and many states have broader protections, including recognition of same-sex marriage.  The Consulate recently sponsored a Rainbow Film Festival to celebrate LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) pride month.  The four films screened included documentaries and docudramas; all were based on true stories, highlighting the history of the gay rights movement in the U.S.  One of the things that they made clear was that America’s acceptance of homosexuality is relatively recent and remains incomplete.  In 1969, when the raid that is featured in the film “Stonewall Uprising” occurred, homosexual conduct was illegal in most of the U.S.  Today, a majority of Americans favor permitting same sex marriage.  Demonstrating how far we have come, on the occasion of Human Rights Day last year, President Obama and Secretary Clinton announced that promoting acceptance of gay rights around the world would be a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy.

A 2007 global attitude survey (http://pewglobal.org/files/pdf/258.pdf) asked people: “Should homosexuality be accepted by society?”  80 percent or more of citizens in most European countries said yes, and 49 percent of Americans said homosexuality should be socially accepted.  South Asia, the Middle East and Africa had the lowest acceptance levels, with India at only 10 percent.  In this context, it’s not surprising that some groups here in Hyderabad opposed the showing of films about the gay rights struggle in the U.S.  Fortunately, we were able to go forward despite efforts to force a cancellation.  The Consulate is respectful of those who hold different views, and will seek to avoid confrontations.  But we will continue to treat LGBT issues as a human rights issue and engage actively to build respect for the rights of LGBT persons, and to show solidarity for those suffering from stigma and discrimination. 

One of the Questions

One of the questions I’m asked every day is “How are you liking Hyderabad?”  I thought the readers of this blog might have an interest in the same question, so here’s a slightly expanded version of my response.

The short answer is: “Very much.”  First and foremost, we have met wonderful people.  Azim and I have found Hyderabadis to be warm and welcoming.  In addition to feeling personally welcomed, it’s nice being somewhere that has such strong and affectionate ties with the United States—we feel understood as Americans.  Coming from Zimbabwe, it’s also wonderful being in an environment where the economy is growing and there’s great optimism about the future. 

While the people are far and away the most important reason we love it here, we’ve also found other aspects of life here notable:

Things we knew we’d love

·         The food.  We love Indian food.  Everyone told us that Hyderabad cuisine was among the best in India.  We agree wholeheartedly.

·         Paigah Palace.  Everyday when I drive up to the front porch, I’m amazed that I have the chance to work in such a lovely heritage building. 

Even better than we expected

·         The weather.  OK, I know everyone says last summer was much hotter, but we really haven’t found the heat to be as oppressive as we were warned to expect.

·         The flight connections.  India has a terrific network of airlines that allow us to fly direct to all sorts of interesting places.  The convenience and the cost are wonderful compared to our experience in Africa.

·         The golf.  Azim and I are both fanatic golfers, and we weren’t sure what to expect in Hyderabad.  The clubs, the courses and the friendship of our fellow golfers all exceed our expectations. 

·         Cricket.  As an American, I never followed cricket before, even though I’ve lived in cricket-playing countries.  But first the World Cup and the IPL have made me a fan.

It’s going to take some time to get used to

·         Late dinners.  We Americans aren’t used to sitting down to eat at 11 or 12 pm—especially when the alarm is set for 6:30 am.  But the food is so good we’ll figure out a way to adjust.

·         Indian weddings.  I still haven’t entirely figured out what part of the invitation I’m expected to accept, or when to bring a gift.  In the U.S., 200 guests would be considered a big wedding, and the invitation is only for a ceremony and reception, both on the same day.  The fact that we receive invitations from acquaintances and even people we don’t know is part of the warm welcome we have received, and it is an honor to be asked to share such a special occasion.  But we are still figuring out some of the finer points.

Things we may never get used to—but that’s OK

·         The traffic.  I know it’s much worse in other cities, but I’m glad I don’t have to drive myself!

·         The photographers.  I just can’t think of myself as a “celebrity,” and I’m always amazed that people want to take my picture.

Things we just don’t like and never will

·         Littering.  I mentioned in another blog that this is something that has changed dramatically in the U.S. in my life time, and I hope it changes in Hyderabad. 

·         Littering isn’t the only anti-social act we see on the sidewalks as we drive around the city—but I won’t mention specifics of the other habit we find unpleasant!