Here at Brown, "patriot" is a four-letter word. For this reason, many people question my abiding faith in American greatness. I try to make my case by explaining the transcendent beauty of our founding documents, our genuine commitment to human rights and our monumental foreign policy successes. Unsurprisingly, cynical college students never seem to accept this line of reasoning.
I have therefore adapted a new, concise, foolproof argument to which the student body can relate. I challenge you to deny American exceptionalism after reading this three-word argument.
Three words demonstrate how America is unique. Three words show that America will stay ahead of all of its rivals. Three words illustrate how America is the greatest nation in the history of the world. What are those three words?
Bagel Gourmet Ole.
This hybrid Mexican and bagel restaurant, with locations on Thayer and Brook streets, represents everything that makes our country unique and exceptional. It perfectly illustrates the source of America's strength — the unique solutions and products that result from the interactions of so many different cultures. Whenever multiculturalists feel lost for words, they should just make the Bagel Gourmet Ole defense.
As Americans who are accustomed to living amid such diversity, we find it easy to take this restaurant for granted. I urge you to take a minute just to examine its absurdity. This is a Hispanic-run store that sells Mexican food as well as bagels, one of the most stereotypically Jewish foods!
One graphic in the restaurant perfectly captures the beautiful absurdity of this combination. This picture features cartoon depictions of Mr. Bagel and Mr. Jalapeno holding hands and smiling. This odd couple represents the best kind of absurdity — American absurdity — with all of the multicultural fusion and inter-ethnic cooperation that it entails.
The success and popularity of this restaurant proves that we all benefit from the cultural mixing that is so common throughout all of America. Where else can you go to a Mexican-Jewish fusion restaurant? What other restaurant offers bagels with lox, beef tacos and breakfast burritos? In the words of illustrious boxing promoter Don King, "Only in America."
This diversity is admirable in and of itself, yet it is truly great when it leads to better results. Bagel Gourmet Ole's diversity enables it to cater to many culinary needs in a way that no single-ethnicity restaurant could. This tiny store with a small menu is somehow able to offer two distinct cuisines at cheap prices. Bagel Gourmet Ole further distances itself from its competition by providing delicious options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. No other establishment on Thayer packs the same culinary punch.
It derives its unique appeal from the fusion of two distinct cultures — the same fusion and cultural mixing that defines the larger American economy and society.
America has outdistanced its competitors because of its ability to attract immigrants from all over the world. This unprecedented cultural mixing enables Americans to create new products and arrive at unique solutions. Whenever you question American exceptionalism, just remember that the beautiful absurdity of Bagel Gourmet Ole exists throughout all of American society.
The success of Bagel Gourmet Ole shows that America is still a uniquely diverse country. As long as we maintain this crucial advantage, we will outperform our competitors. China may have many economic advantages, but they will never have our diversity. State-run capitalism can allocate resources effectively, but it cannot match the ingenuity and innovation that results from the daily cultural collisions that shape American life. Bagel Gourmet Ole is just one small example of the countless American institutions, products and ideas that are shaped by such uniquely American cross-cultural interactions.
Take a look at your own community and appreciate how much of it is shaped by unique cultural interactions — Bagel Gourmet Ole is far from the only restaurant to capture America's greatness. In my hometown of San Francisco, the best pizza parlors combine Brazilian and Italian culinary styles to create superior cuisine. A Korean taco truck took the city of Los Angeles by storm. I'm sure I've just touched the surface when it comes to uniquely American food creations.
This beautiful absurdity is by no means limited to the food industry. It permeates every aspect of our lives. As Americans, or as international students studying in America, we all reap the benefits of this unique diversity. It's easy to criticize America, but I think it is equally important to appreciate the beauty behind the multicultural interactions that shape America and make us exceptional. I am merely asking all of us to remember that cultural fusion makes our country great, and to acknowledge that we are lucky to live in a country formed by the interactions of so many distinct cultural groups. No other country can match our diversity — in this way, America is truly exceptional.
Oliver Rosenbloom '13 is a history concentrator from Mill Valley, Calif.
He can be contacted at oliver_rosenbloom@brown.edu.
