Category: 2015-2016 Common Read: True American

Last night, in front of a diverse audience, ranging from Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy to groupings of freshman, two pillars of profound thought, Anand Giridharadas and Rais Bhuiyan, told a story. They made a point of acknowledging that this story, though strong on its own, functions as something greater than an inspiring tale. The True American: Murder and Mercy in Texas encapsulates the American story, but especially the story of what Anand calls “the two Americas.” In the book we see a divided, if not entirely broken country, where for many the American Dream is no longer a possibility and they instead impoverished and trapped in cycles of crime and addiction. Anand and Rais called upon the students of this generation to reconcile the two Americas, to forgive, and, essentially, to save humanity. UMass’s own Sut Jhally, a renowned Communication professor, moderated with questions and was an enlightening guide through the stories that Anand and Rais told. Sut asked many important questions and not necessarily ones that were easy to answer. In a little over an hour, these three brilliant people analyzed and deconstructed xenophobia, poverty , and the criminal justice system in the United States.

Right off the bat, the three people on stage delved into the heavy material, beginning with the topic of the takeaway from the book. Perhaps, not all who were present had read the book, but plot summary was not important. As Anand and Rais explained, this was about producing something extraordinary from an ordinary story. While calling Rais’ journey an ordinary story was quite modest, they did not want the book or themes oversimplified. Anand clarified that The True American is not a call for forgiveness, but rather an urge to reflect on our virtues and behavior towards others as a country. That was certainly a moment that caught the crowd’s attention.

Anand would often contribute his worldly insight to answer questions, offering statistics and knowledge he has gathered from journalistic work. Meanwhile, Rais balanced this perfectly with a humanist philosophy and applying Islamic teachings, breaking issues down to a need for working towards greater respect for others. Their outlooks on the world provided a balance of answers that promoted an analytical and emotional approach to dealing with issues of the modern world.

Eventually, that is what this talk came to be, dealing with the issues of the modern world. The second segment of the talk allowed questions from the audience. The room grew comfortable and all onstage were happy to engage. A big point that was made was what Anand called the “mis-allocation of young minds.” This is where intelligent young people are using their brilliance for things that are not helping the world and especially things that are only helping the privileged (the example he used was “an app that helps you find the nearest latte”). Rais similarly empowered the young audience, telling the students “you’ll be running this country.” He went on to discuss the benefits of helping others and building a better understanding of the world around us. Together Rais and Anand encouraged that our generation consider the other America, the one that is struggling, and do what we can to help.

Throughout the talk, all onstage were consistently inspiring and saying hugely profound things about the state of the world. Such a talk was not light, but certainly gave hope and touched the hearts of many. After wrapping up the talk, which was packed with astounding thoughts, Rais and Anand mingled among the crowd, delightfully speaking with the people they had just granted so much wisdom and responsibility to. A mass of people excitedly lined up for a book signing and to meet the two who had brought this incredible story to them. It was a wonderful event and not only are there more to come, but I have a strong feeling that Anand Giridharadas and Rais Bhuiyan are far from done with their work of reaching out to the world.

Written by Daniel Beckley, a senior at Umass Amherst, studying English, Communication, and Public Policy.

As the summer comes to an end, it comes time to begin a new school year at UMass Amherst. For many of us, it will be the first (possibly the best). The first year of college is a special time when everything you already know meets everything you want to learn. While this is not a gap to be bridged, to many it feels like a leap. It is a significant moment nonetheless and, while so many of us are here, on the verge of this transition, this could be the best moment to consider what we know, what we want to learn, and what is the purpose of all of this? Why did we ask you to stop and read The True American at such an occupied and meaningful moment in your lives?

As incoming first years you have all decided to pursue a higher degree of education, an opportunity not everyone is granted. Among you will be people not just from around Massachusetts, but around the world, studying in a variety of fields, and aiming to develop new technologies, save the world, or trying to figure it out. In these pursuits, it is critical to understand the world around you and the people in it. This is where the Common Read hopes to aid in this transition. Pursuing a higher education is eye-opening, it often takes you to new ground and puts you in positions in which you otherwise may have never been. These types of experiences are benefitted by another type of eye-opening: empathy for fellow humans and an understanding of the greater world around us. The True American tells the story of a collision of two worlds and a path to enlightenment about life and the welfare of others. Along this path we see how virtuous behavior can be used while one makes their way through life.

In The True American, we see the value of diversity and compassion for those around us, which are ideas that UMass values as well and hopes to make prominent parts of everyone’s college experience. The point of college is not to be isolated and focus on yourself and your studies in a bubble, but to engage with a community of people from all walks of life and realize the benefits of entering a place with an array of new perspectives and ideas. In The True American, we saw Mark Stroman, a bigoted criminal, realize his potential for good and the error of his ways, upon being given a chance to read about the world, reflect on negative lifestyle choices, and opening up to people who he may have previously held prejudices against. On the other hand, Rais Bhuiyan finds his purpose after coming to America, enduring multiple traumatic events, and finding that his pursuit to start a family was not his destiny, but rather it was to help people.

Your college experience will not be a story quite like those of Rais Bhuiyan and Mark Stroman, but hopefully, you will be enlightened in the same ways that they were. There is more to learn and do at college than one could even imagine or than one could ever cover in their time here. It is a vast expanse of opportunities to see the world and its inhabitants in a new light, meaning there is no reason to restrict oneself to a single field of study, a single dream, or a single perspective. The Common Read reminds us that there are many problems in the world and there is much to learn, which is not meant to disrupt your peace of mind, but to encourage you to keep learning and keep an open mind. The True American is a reminder that all that you know now is a mere fraction of all the knowledge you will gather and that all the people you have met make up a small amount of the total unique individuals and their experiences. Your time at UMass will be made up of major life events and we hope this Common Read has inspired you all to persevere, think, and be compassionate. Good luck, you all have an extraordinary experience ahead!

Written by Daniel Beckley, a senior at Umass Amherst, studying English, Communication, and Public Policy.

To have thousands of people, who will be going to school together, read the same book is to give them all a shared experience. That experience and the knowledge that comes with it becomes a social staple in the community. Many conversations will be started on or fall back on the ideas for which The True American has initiated a dialogue. The UMass Common Read is truly a gift that keeps on giving. Knowledge and experience are priceless and to have these things in common with a large body of people is something rare and wonderful.

Being handed a book, asked to read it, and carry on through college may seem like a concept with an ambiguous purpose or a social experiment. However, the Common Read has developed into a significant facet of student life at UMass Amherst. Each year a book is specially chosen based on its merit and the importance or relevance of the ideas it grapples with. Every first-year is provided with this book over the summer, in what is usually the transitional period between high school and college, when minds are not occupied with school work, but rather with all that lies ahead, how big the world is, and all it has to offer.

In this way, the Common Read encourages students to be open-minded and considerate of everyone and their surroundings. Focus is imperative in many situations, but narrowness of vision is detrimental, so the Common Read aims to promote thinking beyond oneself and one’s own studies. Providing new perspectives has been one of the major goals of the Common Read since its beginning. Especially in The True American you will read about the lives of those often marginalized in society, including immigrants, Muslims, and the impoverished. Such insight is enlightening and helpful for entering into college as one of many in a massive student body.

Essentially, the Common Read functions on the principle that it is not just what you know, but how you apply your knowledge in life. Reading The True American together builds an understanding of the varying experiences people have and the way we think as individuals. Socializing and communal thinking are prominent themes in the book that urge similar thinking in students. This kind of behavior positively benefits all members of the student body, plus allows new opportunities for using knowledge from one’s field of study in the real world. The Common Read is the glue that holds the college experience together, bonding the people with the academics, and, thus, establishing unified culture of conscious students.

 

Written by Daniel Beckley, a senior at Umass Amherst, studying English, Communication, and Public Policy

As a population, the people of the United States have origins from all corners of the world. Ethnically speaking, an American cannot be defined and to attempt to do so would be restricting. The True American works with the concept of what it means to be an American. It brings up points about xenophobia and how when people focus on American in terms of “Where are you from?” (what Mark Stroman asked Rais Bhuiyan) it contradicts the fact that America was founded upon ideas rather than upon a single culture.

The important point is that we are all humans and to treat each other with humanity benefits all of us. While the title of the book, The True American, is drawn from a poem by Mark Stroman exhibiting his bigotry and pride, it functions with a second meaning that contrasts the original. The term “true American” also suggests that to be American, rather than being a nationality or based on the color of one’s skin, is to embrace American values as Rais Bhuiyan did. Rais was not always an American citizen by law, but always acted as one. He worked hard, was kind, and those in the community around him. Furthermore, he was moral, forgiving, and fought for justice. This is presumably how we would want all of America and the world to act and these are traits that make for an exemplary citizen, regardless of their origins or citizenship.

From this perspective, The True American, works as a story about realizing how people act within American society and how that defines or contradicts the title of “American.” Initially, Mark Stroman’s answer about what it means to be an American would have been based on prejudice and excluded entire groups of people. Later, he was enlightened about the positive behavior that actually contributes to society and makes on a part of the grand ideology of equality and liberty on which America was founded. Considering this, to be a good human being corresponds with many foundational American beliefs and one does not have to be American to do this. Nobody owns the concepts of equality, liberty, or morality, they are not limited to a country or its citizens and all can adopt behaviors that promote them.

Written by Daniel Beckley, a senior at Umass Amherst, studying English, Communication, and Public Policy

As much as The True American is a study of character, it is also an analysis of issues that have seen much debate and the way they are approached. Along with having amazing stories, Mark Stroman and Rais Bhuiyan function as mediums for bringing social justice issues and political controversies into the discussion. The book, though professionally journalistic in research and presentation, directly engages in the arguments over some issues. Tension can be felt everywhere, there is tugging from all sides in terms of some of the more political debates, making it apparent that these are critical and pressing issues. The True American takes on capital punishment, bigotry, poverty, and the problematic justice system, emphasizing suffering brought on by them and essentially serves as a call to take a stance and do the right thing.

 

Rais Bhuiyan, a Muslim from Bangladesh, travelled to America to work hard and follow his dreams of working for big companies and starting a family, pursuits that line up perfectly with what many would call the American way of life. However, he was not merely discriminated against because of his appearance or religion, but attacked because of these things. This event demands attention be drawn to the concept that American society is, perhaps, not as accepting as it presents itself to the world, that much more could be done in terms of social justice and open-mindedness. Branching off of this, we see Mark Stroman’s development into a bigoted criminal and that, while he must take responsibility for the attacks he carried out, there are problems with societal attitudes and holes in the system that allowed him to slide by and reach the point he did.

Despite growing up poor in a broken home and having an extensive criminal record, there was little intervention or attempt at reforming Stroman’s character. With an eighth grade education and two of his prison stints cut short for reasons completely external to him, Stroman was still wrong in his actions, but the system had failed him. In this we see that the justice system failed to rehabilitate him, he was not given the education that he needed, and not provided with any opportunity to grow out of the environment that he was a product of. 30 years of this type of life is bound to yield bad, even dangerous, results and it did. Mark Stroman was a drug-addled racist, whose bigotry can be seen as fueled from his environment and lack of education, as we see evidence that he knew nothing about Arabs or Islam, considering his intended victims were Arabs, but none of his victims had origins in the Arab world and not all of them were Muslim. This makes it clear how unfounded Islamophobia, that it is based in a lack of understanding and fear. It was not until Mark Stroman used his last prison sentence to reflect on his life, read, and was able to meet enlightened individuals that he was able to grow more accepting and understanding.

 

Anand Giridharadas details profound philosophies and heart-warming stories. However, he does not let these distract from the crucial political issues this book deals with. He delves directly to the roots of problems in America, xenophobia, a broken justice system, an education system that could be much stronger and more influential, among other things. The real people that are described in this book stand as evidence and give these arguments teeth, making The True American a gripping, eye-opening story.

Written by Daniel Beckley, a senior at Umass Amherst, studying English, Communication, and Public Policy.

At Umass, you will meet many new people. In fact, you may not know anybody here when you first arrive. There will be thousands of different people with various goals or career intentions and everybody will have a different story, everybody will have something new or unique to bring to this campus. In that, it is clear how The True American aids in entering the formative experience that is college, as we see the detailed timelines that lead to the crossing of paths of Mark Stroman and Rais Bhuiyan, the pivotal moments that alter their futures forever. Fortunately, we will not face the same complications, but incoming freshman will enter a place they hardly know, in order to prepare and learn for the future and, therefore, change their lives.

As people, we embody our story as it has shaped who we are. While college also shapes people, one does not forget who they are or their origins; college is just another part of the story. Rais Bhuiyan came to the United States for the first time to live and work here for a period, hardly knowing anybody, and being unfamiliar with the culture aside from what he had seen on television. Umass Amherst is not quite as large as the United States, but there are connections to be made here. There will be an amazing spectrum of backgrounds among the Umass class of 2019 and such eye-opening experiences are important as it is necessary to embrace inclusion and understanding. Not all incoming freshman will be from the Greater Boston area, not all students will be from America, but they will all be equals, who are hard-working, and aim to achieve. There are resources and support for ever struggle and community on a large scale and for every niche.

While Rais’s story is significantly more palatable and perhaps relatable, in the sense of overcoming challenges or stepping into a new life, one cannot forget Mark Stroman.Whether you forgive him or not, believe he changed or not, his background story is worth noting in the context of a world that could always be improved. It is imperative to understand that not all background stories are refined. However, that does not mean that all are locked into becoming a product of their upbringing, especially at college there is room to grow and opportunities abound. Empathy and understanding are crucial in an environment with people from all walks of life. Rais understood this and has incorporated empathy, understanding, and forgiveness into the message of his nonprofit, World Without Hate.

Regardless of each student’s story, we are all coming together as people who wish to progress and contribute our knowledge to society. Students may even move forward to work to resolve the issues that have filled the stories of some with obstacles. There is much to be taken away from The True American: reflections on social justice, embracing diversity, meeting hurtful acts with understanding and forgiveness while also standing up for what is right, and incorporating such values into society. With all of this in our minds, we can all hope to be better equipped to  accept, engage with, and support the many new people we meet in a way that recognizes the originality of each person’s story.

Written by Daniel Beckley, a senior at Umass Amherst, studying English, Communication, and Public Policy.

Reading The True American made me think a lot about stories. Stories are powerful. Stories determine how we think about the world. Stories can challenge stereotypes and bring depth to flat assumptions that we make about others. I sometimes think that the most fundamental core of human connection is internalizing the reality that each person carries with them a lifetime of stories that have made them who they are. Upon hearing and understanding another person’s story, we often find that we have much in common with them and are more likely to empathize with their life narratives. At the other end of the spectrum, refusing to acknowledge people’s stories allows us to demonize and dehumanize them.

 

I wondered, while I was reading The True American, how Mark Stroman would have approached Rais Bhuiyan during their first interaction if he knew Rais’s story, or even the stories of people in similar situations. If Mark knew about Rais’s gentle personality, his closeness with his family, and how much work it took for Rais to make it to the United States, would he have walked into that convenience store and seen an enemy? If Mark understood the depth of Rais’s spiritual beliefs, the hurdles he was overcoming in a brand new country, and the fear that he experienced on a regular basis, would he have been able to shoot Rais in cold blood? I doubt he would have, because Mark would have seen pieces of himself in Rais’s story.

 

As we continue to move into a world where social justice issues are becoming more salient, I think it is important to remember that all people’s lives are comprised of stories that influence thoughts and actions. The more triumphant stories make us feel victorious. The tragic stories can damage us. Some stories, such as Rais and Mark’s, require us to look deep inside and make hard decisions about our values and behavior. Reading The True American made me ask what stories about myself most people do not know. It made me imagine what types of stories about others I don’t know. I thought about times when I labeled people unfairly and eventually learned in their stories that I was completely wrong in my assumptions.
As you read The True American, I hope you will think about stories in your own lives and remember that all of us have many to tell.

 

Adam Ortiz is a Residential Learning Communities Specialist at UMass Amherst.