Dear Editor,
A remarkable situation this particular American presidential cycle: It’s insane. It makes
Alice in Wonderland seem tame and sane.
Donald Trump has defied all political and cultural expectations. Even some of his one-time political opponents he had denounced — eg “Lying Ted Cruz” (Trump’s name for him) — have come to embrace him. Now Trump is on the cusp of the presidency.
The reasons for Trump’s uncanny rise to political power may be these things:
1. Maybe Americans like melodramas, like a reality TV personality; someone with an oversized ego. They have favoured film stars and other showmen in the past.
2. Maybe it’s a backlash against Barack Obama. Hence the ‘birther’ controversy and the use of the code phrase: ‘Make America great again’ by Trump in his campaign.
3. Maybe Americans feel that the USA his fallen behind other countries like China; and, that jihadist terrorists pose an existential threat to America.
4. Maybe the white majority feel that they are being overrun by brown and black people; and that much of the blame for the widespread violence that plagues America is caused by people of colour, many of whom are described by Trump as rapists, murderers, and drug pushers. To deal with this problem, Trump favours racial profiling — ‘stop, frisk and search’ of African-Americans, and keeping the Muslim population under police and secret service surveillance. So a certain segment of his supporters feel that he is the only person who can deal with this ‘law-and-order’ situation. But his plan to bring back control as he sees it, is really a ‘law-and-disorder’ plan.
5. Trump has tapped into, and exploited, all those fears and frustrations that Americans rightly or wrongly feel about their country.
First debate
After Monday night’s debate between Trump and Hillary Clinton, the writing is on the wall for Trump. Well, for all Americans. For, if he becomes president, America and the world will be a far more dangerous place. As the debate showed, he could hardly contain himself. His facial grimaces and body language suggested he was contemptuous and scornful towards Clinton and the debate host, Lester Holmes. He was visibly out of his depth in giving coherent answers to questions posed to him by the host.
Also, Trump was flustered by the composed Clinton, who, having got under his skin by her surgical verbal jabs, showed that Trump was unsuitable for the office of president, and that she, in contrast, was the better choice for America.
The American viewers who watched the debate — estimated at around 100 million — saw a one-sided affair. And if they are sill set on electing Trump, they seem to want to cut off their nose to spite their face.
But, why? Maybe this might be the tragedy, where their desire leads to a catastrophe. But one can only hope that their decision does not become a catastrophe. For if it did, this might fulfil the prophecy of an ancient Roman poet, who said: “Whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad.”
However, I believe firmly that the Americans are smart people and that they will rise to the occasion and usher Trump back to what he does best: entertain.
George S Garwood
Florida, USA
merleneg@yahoo.com
A remarkable situation this particular American presidential cycle: It’s insane. It makes
Alice in Wonderland seem tame and sane.
Donald Trump has defied all political and cultural expectations. Even some of his one-time political opponents he had denounced — eg “Lying Ted Cruz” (Trump’s name for him) — have come to embrace him. Now Trump is on the cusp of the presidency.
The reasons for Trump’s uncanny rise to political power may be these things:
1. Maybe Americans like melodramas, like a reality TV personality; someone with an oversized ego. They have favoured film stars and other showmen in the past.
2. Maybe it’s a backlash against Barack Obama. Hence the ‘birther’ controversy and the use of the code phrase: ‘Make America great again’ by Trump in his campaign.
3. Maybe Americans feel that the USA his fallen behind other countries like China; and, that jihadist terrorists pose an existential threat to America.
4. Maybe the white majority feel that they are being overrun by brown and black people; and that much of the blame for the widespread violence that plagues America is caused by people of colour, many of whom are described by Trump as rapists, murderers, and drug pushers. To deal with this problem, Trump favours racial profiling — ‘stop, frisk and search’ of African-Americans, and keeping the Muslim population under police and secret service surveillance. So a certain segment of his supporters feel that he is the only person who can deal with this ‘law-and-order’ situation. But his plan to bring back control as he sees it, is really a ‘law-and-disorder’ plan.
5. Trump has tapped into, and exploited, all those fears and frustrations that Americans rightly or wrongly feel about their country.
First debate
After Monday night’s debate between Trump and Hillary Clinton, the writing is on the wall for Trump. Well, for all Americans. For, if he becomes president, America and the world will be a far more dangerous place. As the debate showed, he could hardly contain himself. His facial grimaces and body language suggested he was contemptuous and scornful towards Clinton and the debate host, Lester Holmes. He was visibly out of his depth in giving coherent answers to questions posed to him by the host.
Also, Trump was flustered by the composed Clinton, who, having got under his skin by her surgical verbal jabs, showed that Trump was unsuitable for the office of president, and that she, in contrast, was the better choice for America.
The American viewers who watched the debate — estimated at around 100 million — saw a one-sided affair. And if they are sill set on electing Trump, they seem to want to cut off their nose to spite their face.
But, why? Maybe this might be the tragedy, where their desire leads to a catastrophe. But one can only hope that their decision does not become a catastrophe. For if it did, this might fulfil the prophecy of an ancient Roman poet, who said: “Whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad.”
However, I believe firmly that the Americans are smart people and that they will rise to the occasion and usher Trump back to what he does best: entertain.
George S Garwood
Florida, USA
merleneg@yahoo.com