Dana Perino is known for her deep knowledge of American national politics, but she also employs a revealing display of cultural and ethnic differences in herrant discussions about the differences between the United States and the rest of the West. She notes that each nationality has its own distinctive personality, but that all have one thing in common: self-interest. The citizens of each nation want to benefit from being part of a group that has a common destiny. In her new book, “The Big Lie: On Language, Identity, Nationality, and the Memory of Empire,” Perino offers an enlightening look at how this works in our current culture.
The premise of her new book is simple and intriguing. A number of prominent figures from both world wars era have died unmarked at sea or in combat. An unknown fate has marked their names in history by leaving their bodies to dry on beaches across the globe. Dana Perino contends that this act constitutes “a kind of ritual suicide, a way for family members or acquaintances of the dead to make a statement of loyalty to their nation” (pg297). The dead bodies at sea do not just have bodies; they carry the memory of their country’s heritage and identity. As Perino points out, it is not only inconvenient but disrespectful to have a memorial body buried where it can be unearthed by curious visitors.
To complicate matters, Perino identifies two different nationalities: American and European. The former identifies with the “American identity,” while the latter believes in the “European identity.” Because the dead bodies at sea are American, the dead foreign bodies are considered European. This distinction alone helps to explain why the relationship between Dana Perino and her interlocutors is so precarious: it is impossible for even the most politically correct individual to truly understand the desires and dislikes of those whose race and nationality are different from his own.