The Cloisters, New York
[Photo By KPA]
I have always been consistent about my Western civilization part. What all this reflection has shown me is my uniqueness. I don't want to be in the West for opportunistic reasons, but because I am really part of it, because I really love it, I identify with it. I have found no-one else like me and not for lack of trying. And it has made me profoundly empathetic towards those who search for this authenticity. Sometimes I am short towards them, sometimes harsh, and sometimes even hostile. And the level of my anger shows the level of my concern.
Perhaps Larry Auster is the closest example to what I'm trying to do, where even as his Jewishness defined his being, he became a powerful voice for the West and specifically for America, and his message was received all the more because of that.
It is a tough call, what I've dedicated myself to. People will get confused by me, people will reject me, they will call me a hypocrite and a traitor as they bring my race to the forefront and even attack me for it. It has already happened. And I even have an answer, a response, for that: the Amhara race is different from other African or Arab races, and has always looked to the West for guidance. If I am to cite my ancestry, it will be in that manner. And I am the only one to follow it through. My persistence will show my authenticy.
I have developed a tough skin, starting from my childhood. And I have always been independent, which my childhood has also taught me. And I think people will ultimately listen to me. My message is simple: go to where you belong.