Not really, but he doesn’t want to be American anymore and is renouncing his U.S. citizenship. I remember reading about this in passing and thinking, “Oh OK, whatever.” I didn’t think anything about it until I heard Karel talk about it tonight on the radio as I was doing my Saturday night burger ritual. After reading comments in articles about it, people have very strong opinions.
Some think this is insulting and unpatriotic of DC Comics to do this. “Truth, justice, and the American Way” was always the credo. Is he ashamed of being American? Some people see this as left-wing propoganda. This is their way of crapping all over America’s values. Even Superman is not buying America’s exceptionialism and that offends people.
Others think this is a good thing because it acknowledges that the United States is just one of many countries. In the issue, Superman says, “‘Truth, justice and the American way’ – it’s not enough anymore. The world’s too small, too connected.” In an age of anti-immigrant sentiment, it’s a nice reminder that we’re part of a global community. Citizens of the world.
Of course, there are a small group who think that this is another sign of a coming New World Order. Now, apparently, comic book publishers are being used to promote this one-world government. The fact that someone as American as apple pie is now a “global citizen” is another step to dismantling sovereign nations to favor some authoritarian collectivist. OK, that’s a little nuts, but so are most conspiracy theories.
All of this made me think a little harder about the fictional illegal alien from Krypton blessed with superhuman powers. I liked this line from the issue where Superman says, “I’m tired of having my actions construed as instruments of US policy.” Considering our history of propping up dictators and what we’ve done in Iraq, I don’t blame the Man of Steel. You can love America, but hate its foreign policy. And as our not-American-anymore hero said, “it’s not enough anymore.” He, and even those of us without power (superhuman or otherwise), can help people in other countries. In the name of humanity, which has no borders.
More power to our fictional, newly global Superhero.
