I am a fiercely proud American, I’ve lived in Malawi, Ukraine, Japan, and most recently Switzerland. I’ve loved the United States the most. Our capacity for good as an American people is great but we are prone to mistakes, missteps, and errors. One of those was electing Donald Trump. Living overseas I watched as the former president wreaked havoc on the world with all the might of the United States. He threatened shipments of crucial military aid to Ukraine with political motivations, he called developing nations “sh*t holes,” he hobnobbed with dictators, withdrew from the World Health Organization, stoked the flames by moving the American embassy to Jerusalem, the list goes on and on. That is to say nothing of his contempt for the American people, and our Constitution.
All of this is to say that if Donald J. Trump wins the election tomorrow ramifications will be far-reaching and uniquely horrible in a way we cannot fully contemplate at the moment. For the entire world and for Switzerland. Recently former President Trump held a rally at Madison Square Rally and many comparisons have been made to the 1939 Nazi Rally at Madison Square Rally. For good reason. Donald Trump is dangerous because he will do anything for power. He has no grounding in moral values of any sort.
It almost doesn’t matter who Kamala Harris is, which is sad because the truth is she is emblematic of everything good about America. America is, has been, and has the potential to be a nation where Kamala Harris, the daughter of middle-class immigrants would rise to the office of Vice-President, and if fascism is defeated on Tuesday the President of the United States. Trump is dangerous because he and those who support him are in a fight to burn everything good the United States stands for to the ground. Despite the horrific circumstances that allowed for it the United States is a diverse nation of immigrants who came for different reasons but we are all Americans because we believe in the promise of freedom, opportunity, and democracy.
Former President Trump vies to tear down brick by brick the fabric, the soul of America. His support of tyrannical policies to police women and trans folks' bodies, threatens the freedom to have bodily autonomy. His support of a border wall and ending asylum protections threatens freedom of movement. Donald Trump supports freedom, sure, but only for the bubble of lunatics who surround him.
Donald Trump threatens opportunity with tariff regimes that will cripple American wallets, his refusal to support social policies that uplift the least fortunate among us runs contrary to the promise of the American dream, and his refusal to acknowledge or support efforts to solve the climate crisis threatens humanity's future.
Finally, Donald Trump seeks to destroy American democracy and the idea that the United States has government for and by the people. His efforts to steal the 2020 election and remain in office and despicable, childish, and dangerous.
So if Donald Trump wins tomorrow do not despair because he will come for the American people and our ideals first. If Donald Trump wins the United States ceases to be a reliable partner to Europe and the World. Protect Switzerland, and protect your own countries from the threat of Trump, Trump-like figures, and the rise of the authoritarian, fascist, right. This is the eye of the hurricane.
If you are an American and you or your parents have a mail-in ballot fill it out and send it in. Many states allow ballots to be received after election day if they are sent on or before Tuesday. If you want to volunteer today or tomorrow to elect Kamala Harris contact me at: everett.johnson@learning.ecolint.ch.
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