Vladimir Pozner: whom the USA is afraid?

Perhaps, the most interesting and popular TV reporter of Russia, Vladimir Pozner published the autobiographical book which he called “Farewell to illusions”. Vladimir Pozner comes to the Russian cities on book presentation and tells about himself, about the profession, about the relation to that occurs in the world. As a rule, the conversation isn't limited to only Russia:

It is necessary to understand the value of Siberia!

- I don't know at all what will be. There is such English proverb: if you want to make God laugh, say him about the plans … Will Siberia, for example, be Chinese? I have fears on this point. I have fears that people, responsible for Russia, in my opinion, I emphasize it, are not aware … not quite understand the value of Siberia. As it seems to me, Siberia isn't a priority for them. And China, it seems to me, is more dangerous than the USA – even there is no comparison! It glances at Siberia and gradually and slowly takes root. They never hurry up in general. But I wouldn't like, that the main language in Siberia once would be the Chinese...

There is the unique country which I can compare to Russia. Though it is much less in size; it is the USA. The USA developed as well as Russia to some extent. Only they moved from the East to the West and we moved from the West to the East. There is a concept “for Mississippi” in America, but there is no concept that it is other country … And I have the stronger feeling that we speak about two countries in Russia. But the patriotism, probably, is just also consists in treating the country as to one country, to the uniform country! And if the children at school won't be taught complete perception that Russia is your country, it would be bad.

The USA is afraid not of the Chinese, but China

When I studied in New York’s school, the Jews were the best pupils in it. I like this school very much and when I happen to be in New York, I come back there to communicate. And so now the place of the Jews was occupied completely by the Chinese. But the question is not in quantity … Yes, there is a lot of the Chinese, but they are much less, than people from Latin America, the Mexicans. Simply no comparison!

The Chinese are legislative, they aren't so integrated – they as by themselves. Many people don't speak English at all in the Chinatowns– only in the Chinese. They as though live separately and then many come back to China.

Much more problems are in California, in the Southwest. It is connected with illegal migration from Mexico. But in comparison with Europe, and, perhaps, with us, meanwhile the USA cope better with the inflow from other countries. They don't have those problems that are in France, England and Germany. Once the country was called as “melting copper”: it was considered that the foreigner gets there and the American got out! Now it is not so: it is rather possible to speak about a salad dish where everything is mixed, but each slice is separate after all! And it doesn't turn out any more – that is, the problem is available. In California already the Spanish language is used equally with the English one.

They aren't afraid of the Chinese here. They are rather afraid at country level: too powerful, much money, armed forces grow too quickly …

Patriotism changes too

The Frenchmen are dissatisfied with everything eternally and it is known. Everything will be not so at the slightest pretext for him! Demonstration in France is a national sport. But at the same time the Frenchman doesn't think that France is the best country in the world; he knows it! And he won’t argue with somebody about it: what for? It is the obvious thing …

The Frenchmen are improbably patriotic, but if the Frenchman saw how the Americans rise, sing the anthem and put a hand in heart and then clap and whistle without restraint on all matches, he simply would burst out laughing. However, each lesson and every day begins with that all classes repeat the words of preamble of the Declaration of independence at schools in America. And it means much! Though the American patriotism underwent certain losses: here both the Vietnamese war and Iraq and many other things …

A lot of things have occurred. The main thing is that belief is lost. It is the normal reaction, but a question is not whether the system has changed. What they made with people!