If you are ashamed to stand by your country,
you had better seek another flag. ~Author Unknown
Reading the above quote made me ponder, puzzle, gaze, stare and
wonder. Like millions of my fellow Ethiopian, I left the land for betterment of
myself and (possibly my family and my fellow country man). But, it never occurred to me that my journey
was rooted on shame of the state of my native land Ethiopia or that I sought
for another flag.
The quote almost forced me reflect on an article I read on abugidainfo
website, where the writer, named Yared Ayicheh, described how the behavior of
some Ethiopian he encountered in the paltalk platform ( what he called “Paltopians”)
caused him feel so shameful that he concluded with a lamentation “ I wish I’m an American”.
I don’t deny or betray my Ethiopian upbringing; neither I lament
wishing what I could’ve never been. But, I am yet to find an Ethiopian that is
not perplexed by the continuous impoverished state of our existence. I am yet to meet this individual, who, with boldness
and confidence confesses what Ethiopia really is.
The type of exaggerated picture of Ethiopia; that the 3 thousand
year old history, a gift from God, a nation with unprecedented natural wealth, and
a nation that is a role model to the human race... the type hyper inflate
picture of Ethiopia hasn’t stopped millions of us from fleeing the nation as if
running away from a disease infested rat hole.
As for me - there is only one condition that will enable me to
lift my head up with an Ethiopian pride – when my nation’s beggar hands that have
stretched for generation are folded down and begin carrying our own head; that
is the only beginning of the end to our shameful placement in the face of the
world.
What does Ethiopianism mean to me? I’m still digging!
Pazion - 2011
