United States Not Above Learning from “Under-developed” South America
by Emily Specker
The United States is like a younger sister. It is a country that loves to see someone else getting into trouble, so that its own shortcomings seem less severe. Where a child looks to the downfalls of her big sister, the United States turns to underdeveloped countries. We claim that South America is quite socially conservative while we turn our backs on the ignorance of our own country. However, the current president of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, is a symbol that the United States itself might be the one who is afraid of change.
In January of 2006, a woman who is both agnostic and a single mother was elected the president of what had previously been considered one of the most socially conservative countries in South America. Her opponent, Sebastian Pinera, seemed to fit more smoothly into the mold the United States has designed for Chile. Pinera is a conservative businessman who should have had a firm hold on the country’s right wing vote. Even he, however, was quick to express his pleasure that women had “finally achieved the place and the situation they deserve in (Chile’s) society”.
Bachelet was considered as unusual a candidate in Chile as she might have been in the United States. She had previously worked as a pediatrician, which is by no means seen as the typical start to a strong political career. Bachelet’s lack of religious conviction may have caused copious unrest amongst a Roman Catholic public. Not to mention the obvious fact that she is a woman in a male dominated society. Factors such as these are the ones that ignited global surprise over her election; her personal background and lifestyle were more at question than her skills at running a country.
Chile was able to overlook these differences and openly supported Bachelet. Her victory was greeted more with happily honking horns than with protest. An occurrence such as this seems distant, if not impossible, for the United States. The ample questioning of Bachelet’s background is familiar; the moment in which the country overcame such frivolities is foreign. Chile voted against bias and in favor of more jobs and social justice. Bachelet’s election stands for equal numbers of men and women appointed to political positions, and a push for rules to make it remain that way.
The United States could learn not only from the Chilean public’s openness to change, but also from the very personality of the woman who now controls the country. Michelle Bachelet did not gain her political knowledge from theories, but rather from experience. Bachelet’s father, an air force general, opposed the 1973 coup of Augusto Pinochet. As a result, he was tortured and died in prison. Michelle and her mother were also tortured, and later forced into exile.
The United States is a fan of revenge. If someone hits us, we hit back. Bachelet embodies the opposite philosophy. After being exposed to hate and injustice, she chose to fight back with change. Bachelet wants to reverse the very hate that killed her father and turn it into love. Her policies focus on tolerance and understanding, with a foundation in human rights rather than retribution. To claim that Michelle Bachelet would be an adequate instructor for the government of the United States would be an understatement.
The president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, once stated, "A worker is president of Brazil – there comes Lula; an Indian is president of Bolivia; a woman is president of Chile, and in Venezuela, a revolutionary soldier, which is what I am." This outline of political change in South America aids in highlighting what has become increasingly obvious; it is time for the United States to follow suit.
Sources -
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2006/03/11/chile-bachelet060311.html
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/latin_america/jan-june06/chile_1-25.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4613864.stm
