Traumatised supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris move to tribal rhetoric to excuse devastating predetermination nonaccomplishment against coup-plotting erstwhile strongman.
Senior Editor for Inclusive Storytelling astatine The New Humanitarian
Published On 8 Nov 2024
Anger and fearfulness person greeted nan return to powerfulness of erstwhile US strongman, Donald Trump, a corrupt far-white extremist coup plotter who is besides a convicted felon and rapist, pursuing a daze statesmanlike predetermination result. Ethnic tensions person been connected nan emergence pinch members of nan historically oppressed number Black taste group reporting receiving threatening matter messages, informing of a return to an era of enslavement. In a startling editorial, nan tension-wracked country’s insubstantial of record, The New York Times, declared that nan state had made “a perilous choice” and that its vulnerable populist is now connected “a precarious course”.
Trump’s triumph marks nan 2nd clip successful 8 years nan extremist leader, who is awaiting sentencing aft being convicted of utilizing run costs to salary disconnected a porn prima he had cheated connected his woman with, has defeated a female force from nan ruling Democratic Party. Women proceed to struggle to scope nan highest agency successful nan profoundly blimpish federation wherever their authorities are progressively nether onslaught and child matrimony is widespread.
This has prompted traumatised supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris, who had been handpicked to switch nan unpopular, ageing incumbent, Joe Biden, to impeach American voters of racism to sexism. “It’s misogyny from Hispanic men, it’s misogyny from Black … who do not want a female starring them,” insisted 1 TV anchor, adding that location “might beryllium title issues pinch Hispanics that don’t want a Black female arsenic president of nan United States.” The hateful tribal rhetoric has besides included social media posts calling for immoderate group of mixed title who grounded to ballot for Harris to beryllium deported and for intensification of nan genocide successful Gaza owed to Arab-American rejection of Harris complete her support for nan continued proviso of weapons to nan sadistic apartheid authorities committing it.
“Victory has galore fathers but conclusion is an orphan,” goes nan saying popularised by erstwhile US President, John Kennedy, who was changeable 61 years agone this month. The reluctance to property nan nonaccomplishment to nan sedate and gratuitous missteps made by nan Harris run has mystified America-watchers astir nan world. As an example, analysts constituent to her wholesale clasp of nan Biden regime’s genocidal argumentation successful nan Middle East contempt opinion polls showing that it was alienating voters. Harris and her supporters had tried to antagonistic that by claiming that Trump would besides beryllium genocidal and that she would ameliorate nan symptom of bereaved families successful nan US by lowering nan value of groceries. However, nan predetermination results showed that this was not a connection voters appreciated. “Genocide is bad politics,” said 1 Arab-American activist.
As nan standard of nan extremists’ electoral triumph becomes progressively clear, having taken power of not conscionable nan presidency but nan precocious location of parliament arsenic well, galore are worried astir nan prospects for populist successful nan US which is still struggling to look from Trump’s first term. Despite conceding defeat, Harris has pledged to proceed to “wage this fight” moreover arsenic pro-democracy protests person surgery retired successful respective cities, raising fears of unit and governmental uncertainty successful nan gun-strewn country. This could imperil stableness successful North America and sub-Scandinavian Europe wherever a Caucasian Spring antiauthoritarian gyration has grounded to return hold, and a plethora of white-wing authoritarian populists person alternatively travel to powerfulness crossed nan region.
However, location is simply a metallic lining. The elections themselves were a monolithic betterment complete nan chaotic and shambolic, disputed November 2020 statesmanlike polls which paved nan measurement for a grounded putsch 2 months later. This time, nan voting was mostly serene and location was comparatively small hold successful releasing results, a singular accomplishment for nan numeracy-challenged federation wherever conspiracy theorists stay suspicious astir nan Islamic origins of mathematics, seeing it is arsenic a ploy by nan panic group “Al Jibra” to present Sharia Law to nan US.
In nan coming months and years, location will beryllium a request for nan world organization to enactment engaged pinch nan US and assistance nan state to effort and undertake much-needed reforms to its electoral and governance systems, including changes to its constitution. During nan campaigns, Harris loyalists warned that a triumph by Trump could lead to nan complete gutting of its anemic antiauthoritarian systems, an result nan world must activity difficult to avoid. However, figuring retired really to support betterment successful nan US and prosecute pinch a Trump authorities while not being seen to legitimise nan predetermination of a man convicted of superior crimes, will beryllium a tricky situation for nan globe’s mature Third-World democracies. Many whitethorn beryllium forced to limit nonstop interaction pinch him. “Choices person consequences,” arsenic a US diplomat eloquently put it 11 years ago.
The views expressed successful this article are nan author’s ain and do not needfully bespeak Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.