Thursday 7 November 2024

OUTSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE: REFLECTING ON TRUMP'S NEW AMERICA

 

TRUMP RETURNS TO POWER – NBC News

TRUMP’S AMERICA: Victory Changes Nation’s Sense of Itself – The New York Times

Trump Just Ran The Most Racist Campaign In Modern History -- And Won – Huffpost

These headlines greeted me as I opened my laptop this morning. I looked out the window of the guest room in our Texas home, where the vibrant colors of late fall filled the view. The trees stood cloaked in amber and crimson, and the sky stretched blue and infinite above them. The scene should have felt beautiful.

But today, that beauty seemed distant, muted, as if the world had dimmed to match the weight pressing on my chest.

Bedroom Window View

The trees outside stand as silent witnesses, their leaves drifting slowly to the ground, one by one. In the past, I might have admired the graceful descent, and seen it as nature’s way of letting go. But now, each falling leaf feels like a quiet farewell, an echo of loss. The landscape is shedding its colors, retreating into a bare, indifferent stillness, as if the world, too, mourns something precious slipping away.

The houses, nestled calmly among the trees, no longer offer warmth or comfort. They seem cold and distant, like strangers, cloaked in shadows cast by the low, reluctant light of a November sun. The golden canopy, once so alive and welcoming, now feels somber, as if nature itself senses the heaviness I carry.

The sky remains blue, but today it looks vast and empty. Sunlight filters weakly through the branches, casting long, reaching shadows across the ground. Even the light itself feels hollow., unable to warm and soothe. I search for the solace this view used to bring, but it eludes me, replaced by a quiet, aching awareness of endings – of seasons, cherished ideals, and the life that once felt stable and sure.

This landscape has become a mirror, reflecting not just the end of fall but something deeper -- a quiet surrender to what cannot be changed. As I look out, I feel connected to and separate from this world, a silent observer in a place that moved on without me. The beauty remains, but my heart is not ready to see it anymore.

As a Filipino visiting the U.S., though a literal outsider, I am deeply connected to this country for it shaped much of who I am today. American education provided me with more than knowledge, it sharpened my thinking, honed my judgment, and prepared me for a mature life. Despite criticism that education was a colonial tool, it has been one of America’s most enduring contributions to the Philippines. For countless poor Filipino families, like my own, education was the only passport out of poverty.

One invaluable by-product of this education is the English language. During a recent trip abroad with my wife, I wrote in my travelogue:

“I recalled one instance in Belgium. We were having lunch in one restaurant when I overheard someone in a group at another table muttering, ’They speak English.' It’s a feather in our cap that we ought to treasure, nurture, and build up.”

Jacob Mikanowski of the Guardian captured the dominance of English eloquently:

“English is everywhere, and everywhere, English dominates… It is an official language in at least 59 countries… It is aspirational: the golden ticket to the worlds of education and international commerce, a parent’s dream and a student’s misery, the winnower of the haves from the have-nots. It is inescapable: the language of global business, the internet, science, diplomacy, stellar navigation, and avian pathology."

“China currently has more speakers of English as a second language than any other country. Some prominent English teachers have become celebrities, conducting mass lessons in stadiums seating thousands. In South Korea, English is a ‘national religion.’"

In my American educational journey, a book, A Passion For Excellence by Tom Peters, caught my attention, particularly a chapter called A Blinding Flash of the Obvious. It refers to insights that once thought of, seem obvious, yet are often overlooked.

Here’s a striking example. Imagine choosing between a school teacher and a businessman as the next U.S. president. The teacher’s qualifications are well understood; everyone has had a teacher. The businessman, however, is a convicted felon. Who would you choose?

The answer should be obvious. If one chooses the businessman, he or she demonstrates the essence of a blinding flash of the obvious – a tendency to turn a blind eye to the self-evident. Notably, this is any typical teacher, not even the incumbent Vice President.

Reflecting on real-life choices in the recent U.S. election, I’m reminded of the words of Martin Luther King Jr.:

“The ultimate measure of a man is … where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” 

Let’s consider how the two leaders faced their loss. Kamala Harris, after the election results were clear, stated:

“We must accept the results of this election. Earlier today, I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory. I also told him that we will help him and his team with their transition and that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power.

“A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results. That principle, as much as any other, distinguishes democracy from monarchy or tyranny. And anyone who seeks the public trust must honor it. At the same time, in our nation, we owe loyalty not to a president or a party, but to the Constitution of the United States, and loyalty to our conscience and to our God.”

In contrast, Donald Trump’s refusal to accept his 2020 loss to Joe Biden culminated in a deadly riot. On January 6, 2021, swarms of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, derailing congressional session to confirm Biden’s win.

To conclude, a comment from a Huffpost reader, Daniel Bundy, captures a sentiment shared by many:

“I am sure of one thing: people who thought we needed this change, that Republican could run this country better, well, they will have a front row seat. They will know the repercussions of their decision. For the rest of us, save your money, reduce spending, buy a bunch of popcorn & watch the regret. Oh, it will come, & remember just four years.”

Would Americans have their own nabudol moments?


Content & editing put together in collaboration with ChatGPT

Head photo courtesy of The Washington Post

Still Photos courtesy of NBC News, Rolling Stone, Institute for New Economic Thinking, Unsplash, & freepik


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