Dark ages
Trump’s racially-charged rhetoric is regressive
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Ms Saima Faheem |
While some US voters ponder how Donald Trump will “make America great again”, many of us are struggling with the constant anxiety that a future president Trump and his cavalier attitude towards race and racial justice will drag America back to its settler-colonial roots.
In my opinion, we are already in an invariably dark period. During this time of the National Rifle Association’s (NRA)tight grip on gun control, the struggle to bring justice for black lives, comprehensive immigration reform, lobbying for prison reform, and following the First Amendment of the Constitution in its entirety — a future President Trump promises to keep society on this path, and most likely regress. His racially charged rhetoric, and inappropriate remarks throughout this presidential election, has created an uneasy environment for people who make up substantial parts of society.
As a country, we are in our darkest period and with Trump’s promises, we won’t be progressing to find the light. This is a time to understand the severity of Trump’s casual racism, and stand together in solidarity with all citizens of America, who identify with any minority — whether it is religious, ethnic, socio-economic, or based on sexual orientation — to promise a safe space for everyone who feels his or her identity is at risk.
From Ms Saima Faheem
Digital media planner, based in California, US
Disparity
Diplomacy is needed, not walls
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Mr Rajarshi Mitra |
Donald Trump is being widely considered one of the most polarising US presidential candidates ever. His recent stance on immigration reforms has sparked both public outrage and staunch support. In an attempt to diffuse public outrage arising from his stance on immigration, he later clarified that any proposed immigration ban on Muslims was “just a suggestion.”
A world leader is generally perceived to have the responsibility to uphold and nurture core values aimed at fostering harmonious relationships with nations, cutting across all social and cultural differences. Do Trump’s political ideologies encompass the fundamental values of international relations? The US is currently experiencing widespread socio-economic disparities. It remains unclear how Trump would address some of the other important issues relating to unemployment, healthcare, income inequality and high urban crime rate.
While the proposed immigration ban on Muslims remains “just a suggestion,” it might be a step in the right direction to carefully re-evaluate the nation’s gun laws, its foreign policy and the root cause of recent terrorist attacks. For the sake of humanity and for the spectrum of international relations, let us hope that the problem of international terrorism could be mitigated through politically more diplomatic measures rather than by building walls, which would most likely kindle resentment and even more violence.
From Mr Rajarshi Mitra
Assistant professor at the Higher School of Economics, in Russia
Dangerous
Impossible to be racist in today’s world
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Mr Suhas Inamdar |
Donald Trump is a very controversial figure, all the more because of his volatile and unpredictable nature. I believe it would be very risky to have him in the Oval Office, leading a superpower. When they are in a position of power and are responsible for the well-being of so many people, leaders should be moderate. Usually, when heads of state speak to their nation, a lot of thinking goes into their choice of words and they are usually guarded when they speak. I’m not saying they can’t speak extempore, but at the end of the day, they have the ability to make incredibly impactful decisions, so they need to be careful.
Trump is reckless - there is absolutely no depth in anything he says. His aversion to Muslims, his policies against immigrants, are all very dangerous positions to hold, for a presidential candidate. If he becomes US President, what chance do people have of living in peace and harmony, with a leader who is openly racist?
Globalisation has brought both positive and negative implications in society. But the fact is that no country can function in an isolated manner. The world economy is heavily dependent on countries working together. If China’s stock market plummets, for instance, it affects it’s neighbour India, as well as the US. In such a closely functioning and multicultural world, Trump’s views are extremely regressive. He is setting himself up to offend not only most of the citizens in the US, but most of the world, too.
From Mr Suhas Inamdar
Head of technical support and planning, in Dubai
