Trump: America’s Favorite Scapegoat

Image via Democracy Docket

There hasn’t been a moment in time when America wasn't racist, oppressive, and imperialistic; it was built on these foundations. Yet, America never wanted to tell itself that it was all those things. The same counterfeit certitude that boldly stated that "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal...endowed, by their creator," while Black people were considered three-fifths human, has created an offspring of Americans who accept the widespread belief that Trump alone is the rise of the racist, oppressive, and imperialistic state of affairs that we see in America today. The idea that Trump's influence embodies a mechanism that can somehow control forms of oppression is irrational and dismally humorous. This conviction has only led to the public scapegoating of the true oppressive nature of America, leaving Trump to bear the sins of his founding forefathers and the white supremacist ideals that have always existed.

Last week, Kirk wrote an article called: "President of Genocide vs. President of Insurrection: The Lesser of Two Evils Voting System is Fucking Impossible." He received much feedback and we two engaged in dialogue with friends and followers. Among my white liberal friends, there is a common theme; it was a shared perspective of how awful Trump would be in an overall general sense and that a comparison with Biden is nonexistent. But is Trump worse than Biden? By no means are we Trump supporters or apologists, but it's telling that the most "sensible" candidate in this upcoming election also happens to be an individual who openly and proudly supports and funds a genocide and ethnic cleansing of a body of people, Joe Biden. If Biden is a more "deserving" choice, what are we truthfully basing our judgment on? Mannerisms? The ability to come across as polished? The ability to secure an endorsement from America's only Black President? The policy should speak for itself, and any legislation that is made to facilitate war crimes should be enough for Americans to denounce and reconsider.

A byproduct of what America stands for

While Trump is America's favorite scapegoat, he is the byproduct of what America stands for. Trump has been able to become President, install Supreme Court justices, and "lead" a nation during a deadly pandemic despite his legal history, poor business practices, and allegations of sexual abuse. In addition, he is still allowed to run for President after inciting an insurrection after losing the 2020 election. If Trump was independently this monster that white liberals have made him be, how would he be able to continue to thrive in a system that is supposedly against what he stands for? America has to come to the realization they have single-handedly emboldened Trump to not only be who he is but to see anyone else who scrutinizes him as the problem. Trump's racist, bigoted, sexist remarks, policies, and ideology isn't unfamiliar to the patriarchal, heteronormative rhetoric that America has spewed out for decades; it's strikingly on brand.

What's more impressive is America's selective amnesia that it's been different. But this is what America does; it conveniently dismisses truths if they embarrass them or cramp their ideal projected image. And America has conveniently attempted to "unalign" itself from the things emboldened by Trump. White America loves to metaphorically retire him to his room like an elderly, cantankerous, racist, distant uncle at the family house who doesn't "know any better." If America weren't a racist, oppressive, and imperialistic country, Trump wouldn't be able to draw in voters and hijack an entire political party.

What if the truth is that the illusion of having two political parties to choose from for the presidential election is in and of itself problematic at best, but truthfully a reflection of the capitalistic, white supremacist, and patriarchal systems that are endemic to the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. The misconception that having options equates to freedom is a deceptive tactic used to maintain oppression and create the illusion of contentment through our supposed choices. Genuine freedom entails the ability to not only choose from available options but also to question whether those are the options we want to choose from or whether we need to redefine the decision that leads to such choices. We have been spoon-fed the idea that we HAVE to choose between Biden and Trump. Needless to say, we're not free just because we're compelled to choose between two unfavorable options.

Iranian street art painted on the walls of the former American embassy in Tehran, circa 2007. Via abc.net.au

Collectively, we have so much power to stand against the machine designed to advance the select few and exploit the vast majority of us. We, the People, choose, and despite not being initially considered part of the People at the time of the declaration, at this point, the ideal can stand. We, the People, can decide to calm down with the façade of limited options, lack of accountability and oversight, and for the first time, collectively stand against the tyranny of a country that has been bought by billionaires, corporations, and special interests, and built on the backs of Indigenous Americans and Enslaved Africans.

What is more telling is that many people vocally advocating for this notion of Biden or Bust have little to no involvement with their civic duty outside of voting for the President. What about the rest of the Executive Branch? What about the Judicial and Legislative Branches? The true power in democracy lies within the local election sphere. This is not a country ruled by an individual, so let's stop treating it as such.

We pay for our public officials to do a job, we should be held accountable for doing that job and upholding the values, principles, and ideals reflective of the entity that we represent. So which is it? Is this a country that is truly the Land of the Free? This county represents self-actualization and opportunity for all, or is it a country that thrives off of the continued raping, pillaging, and exploitation of the world’s majority in favor of an elite minority? It gives the latter when we genuinely begin to reflect upon the political landscape of the 20th and 21st centuries. Often wrapped in the veil of righteousness and Christian “memorable,” the United States Politic has dished out centuries of savagery.

Let this be the year we stand against tyranny, even if it is cloaked in social uprightness and endorsed by whoever.