What is going on in the U.S right now? | January 2021
Since the beginning of Donald Trump's succession to the Presidency I am pretty sure the sane side of the world saw the world ending right in front of them. His campaign of the Wall to stop 'illegal immigrants' from Mexico, and his denial of climate change. Yet, people somehow still voted him in (despite the allegations of Russian interference). But the events of January 6th 2021, was a new level of American history, that was undemocratically and unprofessionally encouraged by President Trump himself.
The protest was as a response to Joe Biden successfully winning the Georgia vote, after a re-count and re-vote. The Pro-Trump protestors stormed the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. The protestors claimed that it was a 'revolution', yet ignored the fact that their President has contradicted himself in most of his statements, and has encouraged this so called revolution, undemocratically. Donald Trump had provoked the reaction of his republican supporters. From the point of view of the rest of the world, it was perfect example of an undemocratic movement, to try to make the 2020 Presidential election result unjust. Trump has now been impeached for the second time, and as I'm writing this Joe Biden is on his first day as President of the United States. He has already pledged to re-join the Paris Agreement, which Trump controversially left in 2016. In his speech, he commented on 'the cry for racial justice, 400 years in the making'; which was a vote of confidence for the black members of the population, and especially the Black Lives Matter movement. The Black Lives Matter movement needs political allegiance and policy to create a systemic success out of the movement. The significance of having the first mixed-race female as Vice-President shows the shift of focus that is led in the new Democratic governmental office.
Watching the inauguration on the 20th January, and learning of Trump not attending was not surprising at all. The almost childish nature that Trump has adhered to in his Presidency and the nature of his policies shows his self-centred persona. His own farewell ceremony was played out, whilst his ex-Vice President Mike Pence, attended the inauguration through duty and goodwill. The significance of Trump's absence shows how his whole presidency was made all about him, and the welfare of the country and its people is always a second best.
Listening to Joe Biden's speech, he is in the present, looking at the issues that affect the American people now: "once in a century virus silently stalks the country has taken as many lives in one year as America has lost in all of World War Two". This horrific figure also shows the way that Trump took care of the country in the middle of a pandemic. As '400,000' people have died in America from the pandemic, it is shocking to know that so many people have died in one of the most developed countries in the world. There are issues of anti-maskers, radical ideas about the pandemic, but having a figure like that for the richest country in the world, shows the inequality of healthcare, and specifically in the exploitative healthcare system in the U.S.
From the shocking events of the 6th January, and the shifting of ideologies from Trump to Biden, I think this is a positive turning point for America. The tumultuous events from 2016 to the end of Trump's presidency hopefully have now been laid to rest, even though he said 'we will be back in some form'. The threat of another presidential campaign of 'Make America Great Again' is most probably terrifying to many American citizens, but as I am not an American citizen it is also terrifying to me. Having a racist, misogynistic and sexist President of the richest and most developed country in the world, to me defeats its purpose. However, to be developed may not mean developed in its beliefs. As we have learnt, anything can happen in politics. The next four years may be peaceful and hopeful (we hope), but right now the biggest obstacle is a pandemic and getting the world's health back to a normal rate.
Stay safe, and happy reading!
Rose x
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