My reflections and thoughts on the United States of America today
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July 15, 2024
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https://willowashmaple.xyz/indomitable.jpeg
(Image description: Donald Trump raising his right fist while five
U.S. Secret Service agents surround him to protect him, moments
after Trump narrowly missed an assassin's bullet, at a MAGA rally
in Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024. Photographer: Evan Vucci.)
As an artist, here's my apolitical observation detached from my own
political opinions: The above image will end up in a history
textbook generations from now. It has all the elements that make a
great photograph and an emotionally moving work of art. The
centerpiece is Donald Trump, defiantly raising his fist and
appearing to shout something ("fight, fight, fight," according to a
press report) into the sky. A large American flag overshadows him.
Like the iconic soldiers hoisting the Star-Spangled Banner atop
Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima, the Secret Service agents' motion
frames the stationary Donald Trump in the middle. The framing and
perspective of this picture are perfect. I'm sure someone will also
make bronze sculptures inspired by this photo. It is a great piece
of art. It shows the indomitable spirit of a man. Too bad this is
Donald Trump and based on what I know about him, my appreciation of
this art can be diminished.
There is a bit of irony in this incident. Donald Trump famously
said during his 2016 presidential bid that even if he shot someone
in the middle of Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, people would vote for
him. During his presidency, he not only tolerated the growth of
political violence by the alt-right and white nationalist groups
but also called them "fine people" and even cheered for them from
time to time. He opposed meaningful gun control measures, including
an assault-style rifle ban, except to promulgate a ban on bump
stocks (which was recently voided by the Supreme Court).
You might call this karma, or whatever goes around comes around, or
getting a taste of his own medicine. Or, as Galatians 6:7 reads:
"Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you
sow" (NRSV).
This is a sad conclusion to the culture of political violence,
incivility, and us-versus-them attitudes the Trump movement has
cultivated for the past nine years.
In the best possible outcome, this incident should serve as a
"wake-up" moment for Donald Trump, a transformative event that will
change him as a man. Having come very close -- perhaps less than an
inch -- to death, perhaps this will inspire an attitude of
gratitude, a less selfish outlook, and maybe even empathy for
people. But I may be overly optimistic.
In the coming days, this now iconic image of Trump will rally his
supporters and perhaps convince the fence-sitters to vote for him.
The photo projects strengths and that may be contrasted with the
perceived feebleness of Joe Biden.
The incident may also renew the Republicans' calls for impeaching
the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, for the
Secret Service's failure to protect their de facto leader, in
addition to their allegations that Mayorkas failed to secure the
southern border. If the impeachment is successful, it would reflect
badly on Joe Biden (even if not, the impeachment hearing can make
Biden look bad in the eyes of the moderate, undecided voters).
In addition, conspiracy theories, rumors, and insinuations will
increase. Misinformation and disinformation will circulate through
social media and perhaps Russia, China, and Iran may exploit this
as an opportunity.
How did this country become so toxic?
Both Democrats and Republicans point fingers at each other and
accuse the other party of trying to destroy the nation. Both
parties campaign on the premise that voting for the "other guy"
will lead to an existential crisis, the end of America, and the
abolition of freedom. More and more Americans are voting against,
not voting for.
Elections used to be an expression of the nation's hope and
optimism. Now everyone is dreading November 5 as if it's the
doomsday.
There are perhaps many reasons for this, including the roles media
play, the social media algorithm, cultural bifurcation and
polarization of American society, the erosion of the mediating
institutions, the resulting politicization of our communities, and
the death of civility and shared values.
But I see two things stand out that are causing and exacerbating
this trend: (1) political parties, and (2) the first-past-the-post
system of elections.
Political parties have outlived their usefulness. There are a lot
of American voters who will choose candidates not based on their
individual merits or characters but solely on whether there is a
letter "R" or a letter "D" after their names. Because in an
electoral democracy, low- and no-information voters often decide
the outcomes of the elections, partisan affiliation functions as a
de facto shortcut that aids voters in selecting candidates. The
side effect of this is that both major political parties insist on
ideological uniformity, often through the use of so-called
ideological litmus tests. Those who fail that litmus test, on hot
issues such as abortion, are ostracized as "RINOs" or "DINOs,"
which leads to more ideological uniformity within the parties, and
eventually, drives them to more extreme directions shifting the
Overton Windows farther apart from each other.
The other problem is the use of the first-past-the-post system in
U.S. elections. In this system, any candidate who gets the largest
number of votes will be the winner who takes all. Often this
results in a situation in which one is elected by a minority of the
voters (for example: the current Oregon governor, Tina Kotek, won
by 47.0 percent over Christine Drazan and Betsy Johnson) -- and
this only accounts for the voters who chose to cast a ballot in the
given election. In the end, those who did not vote for the winner
feel not heard, powerless, and frustrated. Ranked-choice voting
with each constituency electing two winners would better represent
the people and bring about a less polarized and less toxic
environment in our politics. It also makes the roles of political
parties a lot less important in elections.
Finally, we ought to pray for Donald Trump, as well as for Joe
Biden.
Setting aside my political views and personal anxieties around the
Trump movement, I see a man who is deeply wounded beyond anyone's
imagination. It takes a lot of traumatic events, perhaps during his
formative years, to distort one's psyche as exhibited by Donald
Trump's behaviors and words. This is a man in need of profound
inner healing. Yet, he perhaps can numb those pains by seeking
clamors, money, adulation, and power.
And the Bible exhorts us to pray for the rulers -- and it was
written at the time when their rulers were foreign colonial
tyrants! Historically, the Anglicans offered their prayers for
their sovereign during the Holy Eucharist service (and in the
Episcopal Church, the prayer is offered to "our President, for the
leaders of the nations, and for all in authority" or "those who
bear the authority of government in this and every land, especially
[insert the names of the president, the governor, the mayor,
etc.]).
Even if the president (or the governor, or the mayor) isn't whom
you voted for, even if you find their speech and political
ideologies repugnant, still pray for them. It's better to pray that
they would become the best leaders in the nation's history than to
wish for their demise -- even if only for our own mental and
spiritual health.
Prophet Jeremiah wrote this letter to forcibly displaced and
relocated Israelites in Babylon, a foreign imperial power that
oppressed and mistreated them: "But seek the welfare of the city
where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its
behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare" (Jeremiah
29:7, NRSV). To put it another way, "In everything do to others as
you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the
Prophets" (Matthew 7:12, NRSV). We certainly do not want "them" to
wish us evil and pray for our deaths and destruction. Indeed, the
same Gospel says elsewhere thus: "But I say to you: Love your
enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44, NRSV).
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https://www.poynter.org/newsletters/2024/trump-photo-blood-raised-fist-fight/
The story behind the powerful photo of Trump
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https://www.rcvresources.org/how-rcv-works How ranked-choice
voting works
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https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/pray-for-kings-and-all-in-high-positions
Pray for kings and all in high positions (John Piper - caution:
Calvinist content)
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https://baptistnews.com/article/the-kids-are-not-all-right/ Kids
are not all right (Susan M. Shaw, Oregon State University
professor)
