Historically, the independence and the confederacy of the United States were realised through violence or revolutionary wars (1775-1783). Its economic marvels and military muscles were attained by violence. Refer to how the US fought its mother, the British Empire, to achieve independence; how it used the barrel of the gun to unite noncompliant states; and how the US used slaves to create capital. Despite being enacted in 1930, the US has never ratified the Forced Labour Convention, and the Employment Policy Convention, 1964.  Until now, the US has never ratified 46 international instruments on various important issues.  Refer to how it gained its world political legerdemain by plotting against or killing many recalcitrant leaders such as Chilean president Salvador Allende, Jacobo Árbenz (Guatemala), Patrice Lumumba (DRC) and many more.  

The US has become more violent under president Donald Trump who saw many police killings he seems to enjoy and support as he recently showed when he went to Kenosha–––where a black man was gunned down by the police–––to support racist and trigger-happy cops. Trump’s quoted as saying while in Kenosha, “You went through hell just a few days ago, but I feel so safe. … We’re safe because of law enforcement.” Who went to through the hell between the killer cops and their preys (Afro-Americans)? Was there any lucid and wise reason of commending the law enforcement agents while one of theirs was implicated (via live footages of the shooting) in the murder?

Under Trump, the US has become more xenophobic than ever. Listen to or watch any American media. You’ll hear words such as ‘the cops shot a black man’ or ‘a white cop shot a Latino.’ Why mentioning the colour of a person while all Americans are Americans? 

The US invented a trade war with China simply because China showed the possibility of taking over the superpower crown. The US no longer enjoys a cordial trade relationship with Europe.  Trump has waged trade wars with Canada, the EU, India and Mexico. This has had some knock-on effects on US economy that’s likely to lose squillions if not gazillions of dollars.

Anybody who doesn’t rave according to the US foreign policy is banned or bested as is currently the case with Iran and Venezuela. He referred to African and some Latin American countries as shitholes. He called Mexicans drug peddlers and rapists whom he sought to prevent from entering his country by erecting a wall on the border of the two countries.

Trump’s mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic is staring on his face. He once suggested that people should be injected with decontaminators to kill the virus in their bodies.

The ostensible leader of the Free World is no longer free. To be a leader of the Free World one has to be elected in a free, fair and credible election. Was the election of Trump free, fair and credible? How’d it be while nobody’s ever denied Russian interference? Trump is but a clone of Vladimir Putin. Politically, you can call Don Trump Don VladPut if not a Russian understudy. 

What type of democracy has the US become under Trump? The US is a derisory sort of democracy if not a democrazy. Better Saudi Arabia and other Gulf kingdoms and emirs that openly declared their demesne devoid of any gist of democracy. To prove how Trump is more of a king than a president, he’s sprightlier relationship with the dictators in North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Russia etc.

After being sworn in president, Trump assembled his children, in-laws, business buddies, conspirators and gangs to run the show. Refer to how scandal after scandal surfaced after Trump became president. 

Under Trump, immigrant juvenile and children were detained others separated from their parents. Trump wanted the law that protects young immigrants repealed.  Again, if Trump is a true patriot, who loves is country–––as he play-acts to be¬¬¬–––why did he marry foreigners as if his country was barren of women? Is there anything fishy behind this proclivity?  

The US has never ratified the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958. As for the general application of Human Rights, despite the fact that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was enacted in 1948, up until now, the US is one of the nations that have never ratified it. Similarly, the US has never ratified many other international instruments such as the International Criminal Court (ICC). Do you know that the US has never ratified even its own convention, namely the American Convention on Human Rights? What else do you want to pass your judgment as an American voter and a citizen of the world for those who can’t vote but have the sway to American voters? 

Trump’s already desperate and worked up. He once said that if he lost an election, a civil war would erupt in the US. He has said that democrats will rig elections. These are the signs of despondency and confusion. Will America repeat the mistake allowing Donald Trump to make America gleet again? It’s upon them to decide.

By Nkwazi Mhango

Mhango is a lifetime member of the Writers' Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador (WANL) and author of over 20 books among which are Africa Reunite or Perish, 'Is It Global War on Terrorism' or Global War over Terra Africana? How Africa Developed Europe and contributed many chapters in scholarly works on many issues.