South of the 49th Parallel, a struggle for humanity’s very conscience is taking place.
It’s the bitter U.S. contest for political leadership – that, at one level, makes no sense.
One party is led by a woman of colour with a visible record of support for the oppressed and the curtailment of powerful and wealthy cheaters and exploiters; she also has shown a clear capacity for empowering others. The other is led by a racist, misogynistic fraudster who has a legendary record for constantly deviating from the truth, is erratic and vengeful, and manifests no interest in the well-being of anyone but himself.
Kamala Harris displays all the characteristics of someone who cares about the rights and opportunities of other people. Donald Trump struggles to even grasp the concept.
The U.S. election should be a slam dunk for the vastly more qualified candidate, Harris, compared to her narcissistic opponent. But it isn’t.
First, there’s the troubling history of violent anti-black racism, still embedded in American society, with its offshoot: systemic prejudice against any non-white colour and culture. Donald Trump used racist, misogynist groups to spearhead his attempt, on Jan. 6, 2021, to overthrow the U.S. government.
Second, the U.S. political system, like political systems in many other countries, has deep flaws:
- The U.S. Declaration of Independence says, “all Men are equal”;
- Just 270 elite voters – the Electoral College – vote in the next president, even if the citizenry disagree;
- The U.S. Supreme Court is a political football, and its members have no formal standards whatsoever for ethical conduct.
- Critically, the U.S. Constitution has a Second Amendment that endorses every U.S. citizen being “well-armed."
This last provision has led to a psychotic national relationship to weapons. The U.S. is now beset by constant mass shootings, a murder rate three times higher than ours and six times higher than Britain’s, and a militarized and often lethally violent policing system – especially towards black persons.
Additionally, America produces, stockpiles, sells and uses more weaponry per person than any other nation – hand guns, rifles, assault weapons, cannons, tanks, bombs, warplanes and warships.
All this has led, over the last century, to the U.S. taking on the role of “policeman of the world." There are massively more U.S. military bases around the world than belong to any other nation. This means that U.S. political and economic priorities and rules, good or bad, are enforced – sometimes literally – on countries around the world. Not surprisingly, U.S. multinational corporations are everywhere.
If Donald Trump is re-elected as president, we’re all in for a rough ride.
Trump has no interest in thoughtful, balanced relations with other governments. His incoherent, dictatorial ways will be imposed on the world, acting as a permissive model for autocrats like Hungary’s Victor Orban, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, and motivating aspiring autocrats in every country to begin attacking human and civil rights.
Donald Trump must not win the next U.S. election, because if he does, the consequences for humanity will be devastating.
Warren Bell is a long-time family physician in Salmon Arm with a consuming interest and involvement in community and global affairs.
