Candace and I were in Amsterdam last week for a few days and spent a great deal of time walking the city. I was particularly intrigued by the windows of the City. Almost every single window, wether it be the window of a University, of a jeweler, of a family was open to the passer by and it appeared that great care had been taken on the presentation of what lay inside. From the Red Light District to the Fine Art District, it seemed to be all about art.
At one one point, while in the Ann Frank House, I had a conversation with a Dutchman which left quite an impression on me.
"You Americans", he said, "have a completely different view on privacy than we here in Amsterdam. You worry about people looking into your homes. You fret if people see you undressed. You don't want people to see your hair and make-up a mess. But you let George Bush pass the Patriot Act. You don't care if your government taps your phones and your computers and even your library records. You are so superficial. In Europe, we don't care if you look into our windows. We don't hide our sex industry. We don't pretend that morality means having puritanical values. But when it comes to the government spying on us, when it comes to the true freedoms of people and society, we stand up for our rights. What's with you Americans?"
He smiled.
He didn't expect an answer.
And I didn't have one. Because his observations, while a bit of a generalization, were, for the most part, quite correct.
I had never been in Europe until last week.
I found it refreshing, liberating and alive. It wasn't until we were flying home that his words began to set in.
Americans are a strange people.
I think I want to live in Europe for a while.
