Fuck, fuck, fuck Trumptopia.
Remember when they said "It's not gonna be that bad."? Remember when they said "Give him a chance, everyone deserves one"? Remember when they said "He's never gonna do all that crap he promised"?
Well fuck everyone who said that. Because we told them that yes, it's gonna be bad, that no, he doesn't deserve a chance and that yes, he would do all the crap he promised he would do.
And the worst thing is: it even got worse than what we told them. They gagged the scientists. They will built the wall. They banned the Muslims. They ousted the fucking Chairman of the Joint Chiefs from a permanent position on the National Security Council and let in the Nazi instead. They will not stop until the entire country is on fire.
"But Gila, why does that even concern you?" you might ask, adding, "You aren't even American, what the fuck does it matter to you what's going on over there?" But it matters. It matters a lot to me. I like the US. I like Americans. I specialized in US issues and authors in my minors and majors, both for my Bachelor's and my Master's. One of my life goals is (was?) living in the US for a couple years as an ex-pat. I like that country. So yes, I care. I care a great deal about what's going on in the country, what's happening to its people. And what's happening right now is making my heart bleed.
For years, I have stood against a lot of people in my parents' circle of friends (and sometimes against my parents, too) as the sole voice actually understanding the US and Americans and being genuinely interested in a complex and multi-facetted approach to that huge, complicated, contradictory, beautiful country. I have, time and again, patiently explained that no, it's not the Big Satan, set on beating us all into submission and plotting to dominate us all in the long run. I have explained again and again how it's a country just as difficult and complex to understand as any other country and that not all Americans are fat, loud and ignorant and yes, some things they do are weird - letting actual nazis run around with swastika flags and calling it freedom of speech is one of those things (in Germany, that's a felony) - but that there are actually a lot of things I admire in Americans - their willingness to engage a complete stranger in a bit of friendly smalltalk, their politeness, their enthusiasm, their willingness to praise and encourage people.
In the last couple days, I have come to admire a few more things about you US folks: your steadfast belief in your constitution, your compassion, your tenacity, your passion and your absolute will to defend not only your freedom but also that of others. "Solidarity" is not something many people of my parents' age here in Eastern Germany would associate with the US - to them the US is the craddle of predator capitalism, where it's every person for themselves and throwing people under the bus is an acceptable tactic in life - but right now, you're showing us that it's very much part of the American identity.
And then I get all terrified, because if they manage to destroy that country, then we're all fucked. If they manage to silence those Americans, the rest of us are in trouble, as well. There will be elections in France, the Netherlands, Germany this year, and rightwing nutjobs are all over the place in every country, making nazi speech acceptable again and rubbing their hands together for a takeover. If they manage to beat the anti-Trump protesters into submission, things might be looking bleak in Europe, too. And that is, no pressure, why we need you to keep going, not let their lies fool you, to keep up digging up dirt and lies and flinging it right fucking back at them.
We. Need. You. We got your backs but we really, really need you. Don't leave us hanging, please.
Well fuck everyone who said that. Because we told them that yes, it's gonna be bad, that no, he doesn't deserve a chance and that yes, he would do all the crap he promised he would do.
And the worst thing is: it even got worse than what we told them. They gagged the scientists. They will built the wall. They banned the Muslims. They ousted the fucking Chairman of the Joint Chiefs from a permanent position on the National Security Council and let in the Nazi instead. They will not stop until the entire country is on fire.
"But Gila, why does that even concern you?" you might ask, adding, "You aren't even American, what the fuck does it matter to you what's going on over there?" But it matters. It matters a lot to me. I like the US. I like Americans. I specialized in US issues and authors in my minors and majors, both for my Bachelor's and my Master's. One of my life goals is (was?) living in the US for a couple years as an ex-pat. I like that country. So yes, I care. I care a great deal about what's going on in the country, what's happening to its people. And what's happening right now is making my heart bleed.
For years, I have stood against a lot of people in my parents' circle of friends (and sometimes against my parents, too) as the sole voice actually understanding the US and Americans and being genuinely interested in a complex and multi-facetted approach to that huge, complicated, contradictory, beautiful country. I have, time and again, patiently explained that no, it's not the Big Satan, set on beating us all into submission and plotting to dominate us all in the long run. I have explained again and again how it's a country just as difficult and complex to understand as any other country and that not all Americans are fat, loud and ignorant and yes, some things they do are weird - letting actual nazis run around with swastika flags and calling it freedom of speech is one of those things (in Germany, that's a felony) - but that there are actually a lot of things I admire in Americans - their willingness to engage a complete stranger in a bit of friendly smalltalk, their politeness, their enthusiasm, their willingness to praise and encourage people.
In the last couple days, I have come to admire a few more things about you US folks: your steadfast belief in your constitution, your compassion, your tenacity, your passion and your absolute will to defend not only your freedom but also that of others. "Solidarity" is not something many people of my parents' age here in Eastern Germany would associate with the US - to them the US is the craddle of predator capitalism, where it's every person for themselves and throwing people under the bus is an acceptable tactic in life - but right now, you're showing us that it's very much part of the American identity.
And then I get all terrified, because if they manage to destroy that country, then we're all fucked. If they manage to silence those Americans, the rest of us are in trouble, as well. There will be elections in France, the Netherlands, Germany this year, and rightwing nutjobs are all over the place in every country, making nazi speech acceptable again and rubbing their hands together for a takeover. If they manage to beat the anti-Trump protesters into submission, things might be looking bleak in Europe, too. And that is, no pressure, why we need you to keep going, not let their lies fool you, to keep up digging up dirt and lies and flinging it right fucking back at them.
We. Need. You. We got your backs but we really, really need you. Don't leave us hanging, please.