The friend who doesn't care

A friend of mine emigrated from his native country (he does not want me to specify which one) to the states about 6 years ago after winning an immigration lottery. At his U S citizenship interview a few months ago, he was pressurised by the female officer to say who he would fight for in a war between the US and his homeland. His instant retort was that such a scenario would not happen, particularly as both countries are close allies. The officer was not prepared to let him off the hook. ‘We need to know that you’re with us. We have to know that your loyalty has no limits.’ ‘Yes but...but....’he stammered, as he felt his temperature rise. ‘No buts Mister’, the officer was unyielding.‘Yes but....yes but.....OK, YES.’

After that, he recounted to me, his attitude changed and he answered questions matter - of - factly. ‘I did not care anymore if they accepted me or not.’ He need not have worried. His citizenship was duly granted. Just as well, because he has precious little else to show for his 6 years here.

A qualified and experienced computer programmer back home, he has never been able to secure a job in his chosen profession in the US. 9 - 11 happened a few months after he arrived and the change in attitudes towards a large chunk of foreigners, he says, put paid to his chances of being given a fair crack of the whip. Her has spent most of his time doing night shifts in gas stations or convenience stores.

He even applied to join the National Guard but was turned down because of a large scar on his knee, the result of a ligament operation years ago. Apparently, they were suspicious that he might have been a spy with a chip (micro not fried) implanted in is leg.

A few weeks ago, his shop was held up at gunpoint and he was so shaken up that he has not worked since. From what I can see the victim support network is pretty good, although my friend has turned down the offer of counselling. He has received a letter informing him that the perpetrator of the crime has been caught and has agreed to a plea bargain. The advantage of this, the letter says, is to save the taxpayer the cost of a trial. Furthermore, the offender will be the one responsible for any compensation which may be paid to the victim and will not be eligible for release until he has served a minimum of 85% of his custodial sentence. Thereafter, he will have to undertake community service for the remaining 15%.

No doubt all of this would please Daily Mail readers and the law and order lobby in the UK.

I’m not sure whether it’s a defence mechanism but my friend is professing indifference to everything. ‘I don’t care’ is his stock response. When I asked him what his views on the plea bargain were and whether he thought bail should be granted, he just said ‘I don’t care. In prison, out of prison, not a bother for me.’

Rather like a character from one of the French author, Michel Houellebecq’s books, he’s full of comic nihilism, ennui and misanthropy. He has turned down the offer of counselling and shows no interest in applying for compensation for loss of earnings. ‘But you could use the money couldn’t you? I asked, in the hope that he might change his mind. ‘I don’t care’ he said, ‘what will happen if I get compensation? They will rob me again on street or I will get cancer from 30 cigarettes every day I smoke. What’s going to happen is going to happen. It all sucks.’

After that, I decided to leave him to his own devices. But the next day, I couldn’t resist asking him one last question. I enquired as to whether his capitulation in the citizenship interview still weighed on his mind. In all fairness, he did dwell on the question for a few seconds before replying ‘I don’t care. All the government’s suck.’
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I read that Wal - Mart banned the sale of the 2004 debut album by the Scissor Sisters which sold millions in the UK. Apparently, they objected to the lyrical content. Presumably songs about transvestites selling their bodies whilst on acid did not go down well in the Wal - Mart boardroom. Interestingly, the album is said to have only sold about 283, 000 copies in the US.
The group believe that the fact that 3 of them are openly gay and that they all act and dress flamboyantly does not meet with approval in the highly puritanical atmosphere in the states.

I haven’t been in Tucson long enough to make any meaningful judgements about local people’s attitudes. However, from listening to local radio stations and reading local newspapers I have been quite impressed with the issues being debated. The environment, domestic violence and the advantages of firms employing people in their 50's and 60's are all being discussed.

In terms of the immigration issue, it’s clear that it’s every bit as contentious, and divisive, as in the UK.

But I won’t dwell on that right now because I’m off to Whataburger for a quadruple cheeseberger with mayo on the side, hash browns with melted jalapeno peppers, super size fries and a quart of root beer. A big thank you to my friend Smita for suggesting this fab meal.