Dear American people, Congrats for the new president! There are 59 Million of you who are celebrating this. Let me tell you how things look like from the other part of the world, the Middle East.
Some people here are happy as you are, but for a different reason. They see Trump as representing the true face of America: white supremacy. He does not try to beautify racism, elitism, xenophobia behind rhetorics, he says it as it is. They think for what America has done in the world, this is what suits it best. Others wary his deeds as a president, internally and towards the outside. However, both camps agree on one thing: He is a very bad choice. And he is no different from the leaders we are fighting to overthrow here.
Not that they see Hillary as a better choice. The contrary. In fact the Middle East’s bon-tone was that these elections are about the lesser of evils. So make no doubt.
Now that you know you have made a bad choice in the eyes of the rest of the world, regardless if you think it’s right, and regardless if it was through free elections, let’s recall history. What happens if the US is not happy with people’s choice in the rest of the world?
In 2006, Palestinians elected Hamas in a free election according to all International observers including the UN. Israel, the US and Europe did not like the results. They boycotted Hamas Government, and cut all financial aid to the Palestinians as a punishment for their choice. Later on, this developed into supporting and collaborating with the Israeli blockade on Gaza, jailing about 2 million people in the biggest open air prison on earth.
Iraq’s current destruction is because one of your presidents thought he had the “divine” mission to save the Iraqis from their dictator, and he decided to do so by launching a war and destroying a whole country.
This attitude is not exclusive to the Middle East, google US interventions in Latin America, Vietnam and many more to explore further.
I think what was striking for many of us this election, is the massive support Trump has received despite his blatant racist, elitist and sexist attitude towards people of color, immigrants, refugees, women etc., his hostility towards the Arab countries and more. No matter how you explain the voting trends, people voted for the package Trump represented.
For long we have struggled to differentiate between the Americans and America, between the people and the regime. You now make it harder!
We hear and understand the experts’ analysis on the “white working class” voting against the establishment and for a better economy. But listen to yourself, it’s a “white working class”, who voted for its own interest regardless of Trump’s racism, xenophobic messages and plans. I mean don’t you see how ethnocentric this is?
We are aware that American society is not one hegemonic entity, and that it composes of so many different groups and communities with different privileges, classes, fears, concerns, struggles and fights. But the election of Trump showed which ideology is dominant and popular.
Americans have a long way to go. The first thing they should stop doing, is stop preaching to the world about democracy, freedom, values etc. and start dealing with their own, excuse my language, shit. You were/are no better than other nations. Please stop with this “America is the greatest nation”, no you are not! You are like many others, with so many problems and issues you need to deal with.
It’s actually the opposite, it’s time for you to ask people in the so-called “Third World” for advises, because we know your regime much better than you, and because we have been long resisting backward/racist/tyrant/dangerous regimes, that your country have supported, worked with, or sometimes against (depends on your interest) only to bring destruction and disasters.
Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, we don’t have power, weapons, forces, NATO or money to come “save” you, we have enough issues to deal with here. You have to do it on your own.
We just hope that the election of Trump would shake and wake enough of you so you join the struggle for justice everywhere. This is the bright side we all together should see!
Abir Kopty's Blog مدوّنة عبير قبطي 
November 10, 2016 at 2:12 am
Congrats on an extremely well-written article. I hear you loud and clear about long having tried to differentiate between the American regime and the people. But first came the Americans electing Bush for a second term and now Trump!
I am Canadian living in Canada and I am extremely proud of it. I am proud that we opened our arms to so many Syrian refugees. I am proud of our universal Health Care system, something that Trump claims doesn’t work. (It does work!) I am proud of our Disabilities Act, I am proud that we are a gentle, well-informed, kind nation for the most part and that we are aware that there exist other ways we can help nations at war rather than bombing the hell out of them. We are not perfect. We too have our problems.
I no longer think it a joke that many Americans do not know where Canada is or that some believe we all live in igloos. I don’t think it funny so many blatantly mispronounce foreign words and places and have no knowledge of world geography or history. I don’t think it humorous when I travel abroad and often face cold stares till people find out I am Canadian and not American. Then they become super friendly and tell me how they don’t like Americans because they are loud, brash and demand immediate attention. What have children been taught in American schools that so many seem to see themselves as the centre of the universe while the rest of us are but a mist in their vision? If that is in fact how you see yourselves, you certainly elected a president who is a mirror image of yourselves. Just remember that a narcissist cannot look beyond him/herself so do not be naive in believing he cares for you and has your best interest at heart.
Good luck to you. Just tell me besides the white supremists who have just been given open reign to say and do what they want by their supreme leader, who else will be left in the country? Not Mexicans and South Americans, not blacks, not women, not Muslims, not Democrats and not even some Republicans of sound reason. None of these people will feel safe and valued under the Trump regime.
My husband and I, a racially mixed couple, have travelled the world during our many, many years together, to Europe, the Middle and Far East, Central and SOuth America etc. Ironically the only country in the world where we have been victims of discrimination, more than once, has been the U.S. That is sad. But by the same token I know many welcoming, liberal minded Americans.
I think and hope that the Trump election will be a wake up call for peace loving individuals all over the world. We need more than a strong voice. We need to band together and use the strategies that we strongly believe in to make this a better world. Let us out trump Trump!
LikeLike
November 22, 2016 at 10:52 pm
I AGREE WITH THE MAIN THRUST AND POINT OF YOUR ARTICLE EXCEPT THE LAST SENTENCE HERE : “We are aware that American society is not one hegemonic entity, and that it composes of so many different groups and communities with different privileges, classes, fears, concerns, struggles and fights.
But the election of Trump showed which ideology is dominant and popular.”
NO DOUBT TRUMP HAS A VOCAL AND LARGE BASE OF SUPPORT, BUT THE FACT THAT HE LOST THE POPULAR VOTE BY THE WIDEST MARGIN–ALMOST 2 MILLION VOTES AT THIS TIME– OF ANY OF THE PREVIOUS FIVE CANDIDATES WHO BECAME PRESIDENT THROUGH THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE SHOWS THAT HE HAS NO MANDATE FOR HIS RACIST SEXIST XENOPHOBIC AGENDA, AND IT’S A MISTAKE TO THINK THE IDEOLOGY BEHIND THIS IS “DOMINANT.”
LikeLike