I'm sat at the computer, a blank page in front of me. I am wondering just exactly how to put my thoughts and opinions into words on the screen.
How does one articulate ones observations, concerns and fears, with a nod to critical thinking, objectivity and solid research.
Also, I confess a pervasuive sinking feeling. The title of this blog is "Stubbornly Optimistic". Yet I think you'll forgive me if I say that currently one has to be uncommonly stubborn to be all that optimistic regarding world events. The entirely justified, yet unending stream of negative news spewing forth regarding The Trump's actions is demoralising.
I asked myself if that is because of my own political opinions and beliefs. In truth perhaps so, although thats also an over simplification.
Take the latest direct action by the Trump. Blocking ingress of people from certain countries for various time periods. The countries concerned being ones in which the residents have not instigated any succesful terrorist action in or on America. So, even if one agrees this is the right action, it is against the wrong countries.
Is it the right action? Well where does the actual real threat of terrorism come from? Not from the refugees, thats well known. So even were the action against the "right" countries it's proven to be ineffective via already held data.
So, I refer back to my last few blogs. Is The Trump an idiot or a genius? We know he is fical to say the least but one has to ask why these countries. If not for security, as the "alternative justification" would suggest, then why?
I had suggested that it may be a republican christian fundamentalist policy enacted by proxy, so they can distance themselves as a party from political fall out. Allowing The Trump to take the fall as it were. However that doesn't hold up. Pence, has previously tweeted....
Pence may be a fully paid up Christian fundamentalist and have his own litany of faults, but he is a politician. Very much not a loose cannon. It would however seem his views are flexible to political expediency. The pursuit of power, perhaps for entirely legitamate reasons from his POV, may ultimately be via a means that he comes to regret. (especially if it leads to war with Iran....now thats a proper OOPSIE)
The civil right act has outlawed discrimination based on race in the US since 1964. But here's another angle. Last year we saw racial tensions rise. We saw black and white Americans killing each other based predominantly on their skin colour.
Ww have also had 8 years of an erudite, educated and liberal, but also black US President. There are some in America who only see the 4th item on that list as anything of consequence.
"We, the citizens of America, are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and to restore its promise for all of our people."
Donald J Trump...
So the current immigration block. Is it race discrimination dressed up as security? The alt right links that Trump had (has?) do rather suggest a racial motivation. His former CEO Steve Bannon now holds a position in the administration as chief advisor no less, and a high level security post. based on what experience? Ideology?
It begs the question. Who was Trump talking about when he referenced "our" people? Not "American people" but "our" people?
Whoever holds The Trumps ear, be it Pence, or Bannon, will shape the "tone" of American domestic events for good or ill. Latterly we haven't seen much of the former.
However...
The ACLU just gave us the first and perhaps most significant silver lining. Trump is facing battle in the courts. In congress, and on the streets, ordinary Americans with the legal skill sets are working pro bono to arrange the freeing of those detained. Most significantly legal action has been taken and succeeded stating this action by The trump is unconstitutional. Effectively the law courts reversed the president's order.
America is slowly turning it gaze inward, and if not yet at war with itself, is seemingly having some pointed internal discussions.
The second "possible" sliver lining came from an unexpected direction. Teresa May. Seemingly attempting to reign in the worst of The Trumps hyperbole. I say "possible" as it is early days and there may yet be other motives behind the PM's apparent eagerness to meet with the new president's office. It is fair to say that the UK and the USA do need to cultivate a working relationship, regardless of the personalities in office. Though quite how symbiotic this one is likely to be is unclear at this point.
Perhaps the most Stubbornly Optimistic observation of recent days is this.
President he maybe, but The Trump is still merely one man. Granted he has a team of like minded group think behind him. However there are far more people in influential positions willing to oppose his transgressions than extend them. Ordinary people too, alternative communication accounts springing up in answer to the national parks twitter shut down....
The more People in all walks of life mobilise, speak out and act, the weaker he will become. That may be scant comfort, given that the world will keep spinning whilst that happens, with Russia and others dropping into at the power vacuum whilst the US has it eyes elsewhere... but in the current climate it is a comfort that I for one will take.
The Trump may yet make America Great Again. However I doubt he envisaged that he and the white nationalist agenda would the common enemy that brought them to that end.
The process however may be far from pretty, or peaceful.
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