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U.S. News, March 17, 2009:

“ ‘They should voluntarily return them. If they don’t, we plan to tax virtually all of it,’ New York Sen. Chuck Schumer declared on the Senate floor.”

Newsweek, April 25, 2005:

“Maurice Greenberg, the ousted chief of American International Group … was attacked by New York’s attorney general, Eliot Spitzer, on national television, saying ‘the evidence is overwhelming’ that a series of transactions completed by the company under Greenberg’s watch constituted ‘fraud’ … Greenberg called another New York politician, Sen. Charles Schumer, and asked for a ‘supportive public statement.’ A person who knows of the talk says Schumer told Greenberg he agreed Spitzer’s words were excessive.”

New York Post, February 17, 2004:

“Sen. Charles Schumer has compiled a powerhouse list of more than 200 fat-cat supporters for his re-election, including some of President Bush’’s top fund-raisers … The so-called “Rangers” and “Pioneers” who have pledged to raise up to $200,000 for the president’s bid for re-election…: Bears Stearns Chairman James Cayne; AIG Chairman Hank Greenberg; Johnson Company’s Robert Wood Johnson IV; Kohlberg, Kravis’ Henry Kravis; Credit Suisse First Boston CEO John Mack; Merrill Lynch chairman Stan O’Neal; and Goldman Sachs CEO Hank Paulson.”

(Source: Harper’s, March 17, 2009)

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As much as I feel like I have become a defender of the “Great White Civilization,” in the form of this Celebrity “Constellation” cruise ship, the “Big White Ship,” that sailed form Fort Lauderdale, in Florida, and visited five Third Word countries in the Caribbean, Central and South America, I, at the same time, feel that I have become more proud of myself than never before.

Why?

Most probably, because I am proud of my Sudanese background; of what I call “The Great Sudanese Civilization.” Of course, this is no comparison to the “Great White Civilization,” but it has two of its major characteristics: faith in God and diversity of culture.

Most of the Muslim and Arab Northern Sudanese, like me, tend to look at themselves as more civilized than the Southerners who are pure Africans and belief in Christianity or pagan religions. We are more educated and more developed, and, therefore, we control most of the powers, whether economic or political.

We look down to the people of the South because we: (1) don’t walk in the streets naked or half-naked, (2) don’t worship trees and ancestors and (3) don’t live in jungles.

In a sense, we are the “Whites” of Sudan.

Some of our ancestors engaged in slave trade, and some of us, until this day, clearly and openly, discriminate against Southerners.

My grandfather used to own slaves from the South, but he freed them right before he died. The last time I visited our village, my father and I visited their decedents and treated them with all respect. But, like some White American might say, I feel that I am not responsible for the mistakes of my grandfather.

So, I say to the Southern Sudanese:

(1) Stop holding the Muslim and Arab Northerners responsible for their ancestors’ mistakes, stop complaining about the past and, please, open a new page. (2) Learn from the experience of the Whites and Blacks in the USA where both sides are trying to forget past mistakes and open a new page. (3) Acknowledge the achievements of the “Great Sudanese Civilization,” which is far more advanced than yours.

If I, an African and Muslim, have been able to acknowledge the achievements of the “Great White Christian Civilization,” and its current dominance over other civilizations, I believe many other Third World people can do the same, though reluctantly.

So, I have benefited very much from my experience as a “’White” Sudanese to deal with the Whites of America.

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Our ship didn’t visit a port in Brazil, but while watching CNN in our room, there was Brazil’s President saying that the global economic crisis was caused by “white people with blue eyes.” He said that while standing next to visiting British Prime Minister.

Here we go again.

Here is another confrontation, or probably another subtle confrontation, between Whites, on one side, and Blacks and Browns on the other.

But, this time, it is not a tour guide in a Costa Rica banana plantation complaining about White corporations’ exploitations or a tour guide on the edge of Panama Canal repeating that the best day in the history of Panama was when the USA returned Panama Canal, but the President of Brazil.

Not to dispute the fact that Brazilians were of mixed White, Indian and Black races, the President pointedly used the term “blue eyes” to specify the Whites of North America and Western Europe, probably excluding the Italians, Spanish, Greeks and East Europeans.

On CNN, he said poor countries should not have to suffer because of the mistakes of the rich. Then, suddenly, pointed his finger at the British Prime Minister and said, “This is a crisis that was caused by white people with blue eyes. And before the crisis, they looked as if they knew everything about economics.”

Not to be out-smarted, the “Great (Blue Eyed) White Civilization” shot back:

First, the CNN reporter said it was an “uncomfortable” moment for the British Prime Minister. Second, Downing Street, the British Prime Minister’s residence in London, issued a statement that said the Brazilian President’s comments were for “domestic consumption.” Third, a White commentator said: “People in Brazil are very frustrated and angry at what they feel is the injustice of the situation: a crisis that has essentially come from the banking sectors in places like the United States and the U.K., but is affecting their country.” Fourth, later, the British Prime Minister said: “I’m going to ask the G20 summit next week to support a global expansion of trade finance of at least $100 billion to help revive trade in all parts of the world … (and) South America is a key to achieving an agreement.”

What does this say about the “Great White Civilization”?

(a) Yes, we made mistakes that caused most of this World economic crisis, but, we acknowledge the mistakes and are working to correct them. (b) We are still the “Great (Free) White Civilization” i.e. your “civilizations” cannot compete with ours. (c) Don’t try to out-smart us and to out-moral us. (d) When you insult us, we forgive, because we are “decent” i.e. Christian, or more Christian than you are.

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During the 1950’s, I was a student at Argo (Northern Sudan, on the River Nile, south of the borders with Egypt) Elementary School. My cousin was a student at the University of Khartoum, in Sudan’s capital. He came to Argo to visit, after his first trip to London where he had attended an international student conference.

He was the first in the family, not only to make it to college, but, also, to travel to the West.

I remember when he was reading from a diary while some villagers gathered around him listening.

He told us about his first experience in a plane: “After hours of sitting in this British plane, I stood up and stroll up and down the plane. When the British flight attendant commented, I told her: my country is large and extend for thousands of miles and I can’t confine myself to this small spot.”

Notice the nationalistic implication.

Another story he told us was about visiting Hyde Park in London: “There were a British and an African arguing about which side was better. The first said: Why don’t you recognize that our civilization is better than yours? The second answered: why don’t you recognize that your men cannot satisfy your women sexually and that is why the women prefer us?”

Notice the pride in Blackness and its physical attributes and/or stereotypes.

Altayib Salih, a Sudanese novelist, became famous for his novel “Season of Migration to the North,” where a Sudanese traveled to London and engaged in sex with one British woman after another. In one scene he prided himself for being the “wild Black African angel sent to satisfy desperate White women.”

During the 1970’s, during my pre-marriage days as a graduate student at Indiana University, more than one White women curiously asked me whether Black men’s preference of White woman was a “revenge” for slavery, discrimination and other mistreatments of Blacks by Whites.

And during this Caribbean cruise, as I mentioned in an earlier piece, I noticed, while in Cayman Islands, the many huge statues of a Black pirate named “Big Black Dick” with accompanying explanations that implied his sexual powers.

Today, in Cozumel, in Mexico, I was strolling in shops crowded by tourists from the ship when I saw two T-shirts, one said: “I am Shy, but my Cock is Big,” and the other: “My Name is Big Black Dick.”

What does this mean?

Not to deny that some White women have fascinations about the sexual abilities, true of false, of Black men, I believe they mostly do that for pleasure and entertainment. I am afraid that, for some Black men, this is more a source of pride, and is a component of their identities, than mere entertainment.

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Earlier, I mentioned how Mercedes, our tour guide in Cartagena, in Columbia, became defensive and criticized “the media” for presenting a negative picture of her country. I added that one of the reasons was her nationalistic feelings, which I, another Third Worlder, understand very well.

In Panama, Rafael, our tour guide, defended his country not only against “gringo” stereotypes, but also, against neighboring Columbia. It seemed that Columbia’s past occupation, and exploitation, of Panama will never be forgotten by the Panamanians. When I jokingly asked Rafael whether Panamanian coffee was better that the famous Columbian one, he, without hesitance, answered with a no.

Although he seemed to be proud of using American verses and expressions, he was always defending his country. Many times, he repeated: “On the 31 of the month of December in the year of 1999, Panama Canal became our canal.”

In Costa Rica, Francis, our tour guide, was not less nationalistic. The World’s best water, best banana and best coffee were those from Costa Rica. He didn’t forget to snipe at Whites and disclosed a “secret” that major American banana corporations, like Chiquita and Dole, shared the plantation we visited, but “put different stickers” on the produce.

Also, he wanted to tell us that he, a Black whose parents emigrated from Jamaica, was more civilized than other Panamanian because he spoke English in addition to Spanish. Also, there was the implication that, among Blacks in Panama, those of Jamaican origin were “better” than the natives.

Is all this pride expected – and natural?

Yes. If, forty years ago, I was a tourist guide in Port Sudan and was assigned to tell the passengers of “Constellation” cruise ship about Sudan, I probably would have told them that the water of the Nile River was the best in the World. Also that we, Muslim Arab Northerners, were “better” than the Dinka or the Nuer tribes in the South.

It is the same story again and again:

The “White Civilization” ship arrives, and Third Worlders, though fascinated and envious, want to defend their countries against Whites’ negative stereotypes, correct or false.

Is this “Inferiority Complex”?

I believe it depends on how the person defines his/her identity. If faith, any faith, is the core of the identity, other factors, like wealth, skin-color and power, become secondary. I believe ‘faithful” people tend to recognize and understand differences in matters like wealth, skin-color and power, but, most importantly, tend to strengthen their faith and to excel in their lives.

I believe Third World’s people need, first, to recognize, acknowledge (and respect) this White Civilization, and, second, to strengthen faith in themselves.

So, when the “Big White Ship” arrives at a Black or Brown port, it is a challenge for both sides: who has a higher – and stronger — faith?

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In Cartagena, Columbia, I was told that 99 percent of the country’s population was Catholic. And I was surprised to know that 20 percent of the Columbians were Black (30 percent Indians and 50 percent mixture of Indians and Whites) and surprised to see many Blacks in the streets of the city.

This brings me to my two favorite subjects: religion and race (I call them “R&R”).

Actually, I found myself face to face with both subjects together in a form of a statue in front of the city’s Cathedral, near the Palace of the Inquisition and the Gold Museum. The statue showed a White priest Christianizing a Black (or probably Indian) man.

Inspite of the inclination of many historians (and many international relations’ experts) to lessen the importance of religion in the World’s past and present, I believe the Europeans’ early adventures in the New World were carried out more for religious than economic or nationalistic reasons, i.e. to spread Christianity. Also, I believe the role of Christianity in the establishment of the USA and in its contemporary history, is more than what is usually acknowledged.

And here I am, standing in Cartagena, in Columbia, in between the statues of a White priest and a Black native, holding each one hand and asking my wife to talk a picture.

Take it from this Muslim, the Whites’ conquer and civilization of the New World was mostly to spread Christianity. I am all for that. Indian gods had no chance to stand in the face of the religion of the Almighty God. And even today, with all due respect to the ideas of diversity, these gods, and other earthy gods, will not be able to compete with the God of the Heavens.

I don’t want to defend the Catholics (in Cartagena, we were shown Inquisition’s torturing equipments); nor the Protestants (like the those of the USA who, for more than a century, exploited the nations of Central and South America); nor the Muslims, nor the Jews for that matter. But I defend the Divine Doctrine as opposed to all – and any – earthy ideas.

I have never seen so many crosses and portraits of Jesus and Mary like I saw in Cartagena’s Cathedral. But, obviously, when it comes to civilization, the mostly Catholic nations of Central and South American have a long way to go to catch up with the mostly Protestant “gringo” nations of North America.

Our second stop was Cartagena, in Columbia.

I will start with my stereotype about Columbia, a country I didn’t visit before. Three things first jump to my mind: coffee, drugs and illegal immigrants in the USA.

Beyond that, I know it is a Third World country—and very corrupt like almost all of them. I know it is Catholic, poor, Spanish speaking, has history of military coups, though, recently, it established a democratic system of government.

Therefore, I was surprised to see, from the horizon, the many high- rise buildings in Cartagena — seemed not unlike Miami – and to learn, later on, that it is the fourth largest city in Columbia.

Mercedes, our tour guide, symbolized what I call “love and hate” attitudes towards the USA by the Latinos, and other Third World peoples. On one side, she clearly enjoyed being a tour guide to our mostly American group; enjoyed using American phrases; and excitedly talked about the years she studied in the USA.

On the other side, right after she introduced herself, she criticized “the media” for “spreading negative things about my country.” Politely, I said that I was a journalist and wondered what negatives the media spread about Columbia. She didn’t answer directly and didn’t mention news items about drugs, illegal immigrants in the USA and the recent release by Columbian rebels of European hostages they were holding for many years.

I understand people’s “nationalistic” feelings and their tendency to defend their countries. But, defend it right or wrong?

In my definition of the components of “identity”, “country” comes in the third place, after faith and culture. Maybe that is because I used to be a citizen of one country (Sudan) and now I am of another (USA), and also because my culture slightly changed from Arabic and African to Arabic, African and American.

I remember, during the seventies and eighties, before becoming an American citizen, when I used to travel overseas, I looked at my identity as a combination of faith, county and culture, all together and undividable.

I used to be uncomfortable when foreigners asked me about “internal” issues like the civil war in the Sudan, about strict Islamic rules and about the role of women in the society.

But, thanks to the American part of me, I have come to believe that right and wrong are universal, permanent and eternal. And that I shouldn’t defend my country when it is wrong.

Mercedes, the Columbian tour guide, became defensive and said, “In the USA, you have the Combine High School massacre and you have crimes in the streets.”

Also, she was too nationalistic to criticize her country in front of a group of American; other Latino peoples and other Third World peoples tend to do the same too. On the other hand, some Americans may also refuse to criticize their country in front of foreigners.

But this American will not defend America when it is wrong, whether in front of Americans or foreigners.

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Our first stop was in Georgetown in Cayman Islands. My first surprise was the number of Blacks I saw, because I thought that, since the place belonged to Britain, the population would be Whites or mostly Whites. I asked some of the Blacks and learned that they were the dominant race. I met Blacks who said they were from Jamaica (and felt more at home because Jamaica used to be ruled by the British also) and from Cuba (one cigar wrapper spoke broken English and said his native tongue was Spanish, and that some Cayman people had negative feeling towards him).

I asked some of the Blacks about President Obama: a woman from Jamaica said he made her more proud; another from Cayman said the same, but added he might restrict off-shore banking, the main support of Cayman’s economy.

These Caribbean Blacks seemed, from my short conversations with them, less conscious of the color divisions than Blacks in the US. Probably that was because of a harsher slavery experience in the US. I read somewhere that the racial divide in Cuba, and other Spanish speaking countries in the region, was also not as stark as in the US.

Hopefully, the election of President Obama will make US Blacks more proud.

Now, while in Cayman Islands, I saw many huge statues of a Black pirate called: “Big Black Dick.” Next to each statue, a summary of his life was written, with this sentence at the end: “Those who knew him most intimately knew how much of a man he was, indeed, he was … possessing certain physical attributes unequaled by ‘all’ other men of his gender.”

This sexual implication could be for: (a) fun and/or (b) pride.

I understand the fun part.

But I would argue with any Black, anywhere, who believes that his Black color, let alone other “certain physical attributes”, is the core of his identity, or even part of his identity.

After more than 30 years in America, in “This Christian White Civilization,” I have come to believe in the following:

First, the color of my skin doesn’t have anything to do with my identity.

Second, my African race is just that, race, which doesn’t – and shouldn’t — affect my beliefs and thinking.

Third, the core of my identity is my faith (Islam), then my culture (Arabic, African and American), then my country (from Sudan to America).

So, I feel surprised, uncomfortable and sad, that some, maybe most, Blacks look at their color as the core of their identities, and look at their “certain physical attributes” as part of these identities.

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My recognition, appreciation and fascination, of what I call “This Christian White Civilization” are of two prongs:

(1) The people.

(2) Their achievements.

I believe the most important achievements are in the field of science and technology – as embodied in this very advanced ship and in the excellent services it provides to the passengers.

In 1989, the Chandris Greek family introduced the first ship in “Celebrity” line (the “X” stands for the Greek letter “Chi”, the first letter in Chandris). “Constellation” was built in France in 2002. Some other ships: “Equinox,” “Eclips,” and “Solstice.”

Here are some of the recent technologies in “Constellation”:

1. Telephones: calls from room to anywhere in the world; numbers to be given to people, anywhere in the world, to call; automatic wake-up calls; red flashing light for voice mail received; and personal cell phones can make and receive calls to and from anywhere in the world when the ship is international waters.

2. News delivery: world news are delivered by satellite to television sets in rooms; CNN, sometimes, in the main theater; daily printed copies of news via satellite from the world’s major newspapers in several languages; daily printed news-letter in rooms, every night, for the following day activities.

3. Internet: Online@Celebrity provides email services and internet access; and internet stations are available throughout the ship.

4. Spa: acupuncture “to recover balance and harmony between the physical, emotional and spiritual you”; aquaspa “for deep, whole-body massage, treatments and therapies to restore, refresh and renew”; beauty salon “to add fullness to your features and reduce facial wrinkles … elimination of cellulite … aromatherapy facial … lime and ginger body massage, hot stone massage, teeth whitening … “

5. Gym: same leg-curling, chest press, etc …, but very advanced machines that almost talk to you; computerized equipments make exercise easy; thalassotherapy pool, in addition to regular swimming pools and spas.

The Whites built this ship and they, also, run it:

This afternoon, at the theatre, the Captain and his top aids in fields like engineering, administration, food, entertainment, sat on the stage and talked to some passengers about how they run the ship.

I have come to respect even the very old White passengers in the ship, after one told me he used to be a rocket scientists and another said he used to be an engineering professor.

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Of almost three thousand passengers in this cruise, it seems that 99 percent of them are white. A ship staff said that about 1,500 of the passengers were Americans and sizable numbers were from Britain, Canada and Australia. I saw three or four black families, one Indian couples and few Spanish-speaking families.

If this ship is a miniature of the West, then it is. (More than half the crew seems to be from Third World countries, and I will write about them in another piece).

So, here I am, a Sudanese village boy, spending twelve days in as a pure Western community as it could be.

My first observation was the general differences between the Americans and the rest of the Whites. Generally speaking, and probably because of stereotypes, it seems to me that the British are less friendly, the Canadians more friendly, the Australians more wild, and the French, yes, want to be sure to speak only their language.

Some British were drinking dark stout beer and were barely talking; a group speaking Spanish were very loud; and a waiter said some British resented being served coffee with the dessert — like most Americans tend to do — and wanted tea, not with the dessert, but at the very end of the meal.

My second observation was that, like in other cruises, and during more than 30 years in America, I didn’t notice or felt discrimination against me because of the color of my skin. This is not to say that some people – very few, I believe – might have a variety of negative feelings towards me because of that. But, on this ship, with all these Whites, I didn’t notice or felt any discrimination, though I expect that all of them must have noticed my color. If there were three thousand Blacks in the ship, they most probably would notice the presence of ten Whites among them.

On this ship, I feel it is the behavior, not the color, of the person that matters.

Call me “Uncle Tom” (as some Black Americans say), or “A more American than the Americans” (as some Arabs say), but, after more than thirty years in America, I have come to believe in two things:

First, the Western Christian Whites, inspite of their problems and mistakes, are the founders the leaders of the current world civilization.

Second, arriving at this conclusion has satisfied me, calmed me and protected me from living in a state of denial. I have found salvation in being realistic.

Now, here, on this ship that is a sailing version of the Christian White West, this Sudanese village boy, while fascinated, doesn’t feel inferior to anyone at all.

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