Let’s jump right into it.
Amidst all this apocalyptic talk, I believe we are doing
ourselves a great disservice. We are
allowing ourselves to be governed by our irrational fears. I’m hearing talk of WWII internment camps, rise
of fascism, and mass deportations. How are we any different with our extreme
depictions of the future than the other side who rallied around an impending Armageddon
due to guns being confiscated by big government, attacks by terrorist
immigrants, and the replacement of the US constitution with Shariah law.
Breathe people.
Let us put things in perspective.
America didn’t suddenly transform into Nazi Germany
overnight. The vast majority of Americans still support womens/minorities/gay
rights, acknowledge climate change, and even believe that immigration helps the
country.
Trump did not win because of his hate-filled
platform. He won despite it. It just goes to show you how frustrated
people have become with status quo politics – which is exactly what Hillary
stood for.
At the same time, are we so naïve to believe that the
sentiments publicly expressed by Trump didn’t exist in the minds and hearts of
millions of Americans? Didn’t the racist police exist during Obama’s
presidency? Haven't islamophobic incidents occured throughout the past 8 years? Weren’t
countless drone attacks on Muslim countries overseen by Obama?
Some will counter that never have such vile remarks and beliefs
been uttered from a presidential platform.
Are you suggesting that the likes of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld
and their neo-con cabal had any lesser vitriolic beliefs? They led us into two devastating wars, instituted
a surveillance state like no other, laid the groundwork for the 2008 financial
meltdown, and so much more, but since they never expressed racist or misogynistic
sentiments, our sensibilities were not sufficiently provoked.
How odd.
Also, can I say that I feel a sense of chicken coming
home to roost? No one batted an eye when
the benevolent Obama expanded his executive powers, failing to reign in the NSA
and the surveillance state. Obama apologists loyally turned a blind eye to
their leader’s unflinching support of Wall Street. Democrats stayed quiet at the
assassination of a US citizen (Anwar Awlaki).
So let’s get off our high horse in denouncing the
unacceptable and repugnant when it spews from Trump’s mouth, but happily
accepting when it’s packaged in the eloquent and soothing words of Obama. If
you want to make the argument that the sky is falling, try not insulting our
collective intelligence by claiming Trump’s victory is the catalyst. Obama’s eight years, as well as Bush’s eight
before him, sure helped bring about our current state of affairs.
Speaking of Obama…
Just like America didn’t get a racial panacea when
Americans voted in their first Black president, she won’t get a racist paradise
by voting in the first openly racist president.
200 years of American history has shown us one thing, namely the system has
been deliberately constructed to prevent major shifts in one direction or the other.
Obama’s two terms have shown us that one man does not a
government make. Regardless of how visionary and full of hope his promises
were, he was forced to work within the strict confines of the American
government. And so too must Trump.
Yes, I do believe there will be a temporary spike in hate crime.
Thugs and bigots will be emboldened to lash out and act upon their racist
tendencies. In response, minorities will have to put up their personal defense
mechanisms, in the same way Muslims do in the immediate aftermath of a
terrorist attack carried out by their co-religionists. They will have to
constantly look over their shoulders, keep their guards up, and hope for
the storm to pass. Eventually common sense will prevail, irrational fears will
subside, and the masses can go back to their viral videos and celebrity gossip.
Fear and all its associated, knee-jerk reactions have a necessary
role to play in our survival. Sure there are times when vigilance and paranoia
are necessary. But once we calm down and begin to use our rational faculties, I
believe we will all see through the haze of political fog that is impeding our
vision. And what we will see is that our fears and hatred are misplaced and our
enemy is not a Republican or Democrat.
Our enemy is the 1%.
Our enemy is the military industrial complex.
Our enemy is Big Food, Big Pharma, Big Tobacco, Big Oil,
and all other Big Industries.
Our enemy is crass materialism and its failed attempt to
fill our spiritual void.
Everything else is distraction and a sideshow.
