The reactions of three German readers to the election of Donald Trump in The Atlantic have prompted me to sit down and get my own fears and concerns out of my system.
(Another interesting article, an analysis of Merkel’s reaction to Trump’s election that I really recommend, is “America’s Friendship With Europe Has Been Horribly Damaged”.)
FWIW, here are my two Eurocents:
With a professional background in law, history, and political sciences myself, I basically agree with what my three fellow Germans wrote in their mails to The Atlantic.
I am deeply concerned that so many Americans could vote for a racist, sexist, xenophobic demagogue who favours inflammatory, fascist rhetoric. What the specific personal reasons of those voters were doesn’t matter. Votes cannot express motivations or reservations. Impact trumps intentions. And that impact is already palpable in an upsurge of hate crimes and widespread fears of discrimination and persecution among minorities. If those fears are reasonable or not doesn’t matter. In a country built on the protection of and the respect for human rights, minorities should never, ever experience such fears.
That abortion still is a political problem in the US baffles and shocks me. In my country it hasn’t been an issue for many years. If you are against abortions, you don’t get one. It’s that simple. No one would dream of curtailing the reproductive rights of women. And make no mistake: abortion is a human right – Trump’s plan to overturn Roe v. Wade is not only clearly and deeply misogynist, but also a human rights issue.
I believe that the lack of understanding of the American constitution that Trump displays when he calls marriage equality “settled” but plots to overthrow Roe v. Wade is worrisome beyond that specific political issue. Because such blatant (or worse, feigned?) ignorance doesn’t bode well for the development and protection of constitutional and human rights in the US in general.
At this point, it remains to be seen if and how the planned registration of Muslim Americans will happen. However, just the fact that such a plan can be discussed in the US in 2016 feels utterly dystopian. When I consider Trump’s disregard for human rights in connection with this kind of racist, xenophobic scheme as well as his fascist rhetoric of “making America great again”, I am honestly scared that we are indeed witnessing the emergence of an American Hitler.
As a German, you always wonder how something like Hitler could happen. How perfectly normal people could support such a political leader, such a political agenda. Unfortunately, Brexit and the American election provide perfect and terrible illustrations of how fearmongering and hatemongering works. Perfectly normal people have ignored racism, sexism, and xenophobia because they had “good” reasons to vote for a candidate whose platform is built on just that. Worse, they also refuse to accept responsibility for the effects of their votes because they naturally see themselves as “good” people.
Do you know how many people supported Hitler for similarly “good” reasons? Do you know how many people claimed ignorance and denied responsibility because they saw themselves as “good” people in Hitler’s Germany? The parallels between then and now are frankly terrifying.
What also bothers me is what I have learned about the political system of America during this election. A system that seems bizarre bordering on broken. To start with, when I consider the immense sums that any candidate needs to accumulate in order to run, I wonder if there can be a candidate who isn’t corrupt. I also don’t think that the two-party system is particularly good for a pluralistic society. It promotes conflict – an “us” versus “them” mindset – and turns compromise into a second-rate solution. Also, the current system seems to privilege influential families over independent candidates. That inevitably smacks of oligarchy and nepotism. That one candidate can win the popular vote and the other can become president thanks to an antediluvian institution like the electoral college is also problematic. It’s inevitable that the legitimation of a president who lost the popular vote suffers in the eye of the voter. Additionally, it expresses a basic distrust toward the voters – not a good omen for a democracy, really. Last but not least, I have been utterly shocked to read about how much of a problem disenfranchisement is in the States. That there are states which permanently disenfranchise felons is horrifying for me. (In Germany the right to vote can only be lost due to very specific crimes against the state or of a terrorist nature. Never for “ordinary” felonies.)
Finally, something that’s especially important for me as a German citizen, Trump scares the hell out of me on an international level.
It is a fact that he actively seeks the friendship of an aggressive, ruthless autocrat. Trump has also already indicated that he’s not particularly invested in international organisations. Worse, if he can get away with it, he’ll happily wiggle out of America’s NATO commitments. Political obligations that are also moral obligations – especially if they don’t promise immediate economic or political benefits – mean nothing to a businessman like Trump. The fear that the US will abandon their allies is very real, especially in the most vulnerable eastern member states of the EU. Honestly, today I’m not sure if America still is a reliable partner for Europe.
Apart from that, Trump has already announced in his acceptance speech that he is not keen on compromises. American self-interest and his goal of “making America great again” is more important than anything else. Add to that his volatile, unpredictable temper… Considering the many complex and explosive situations around the globe, I’m scared.
It’s not hyperbole when I say that I am afraid that he might unleash the final world war upon us. And even if the worst doesn’t happen, a lot of damage is already done. The progress we have made during the last twenty-five years towards diverse, pluralistic societies that honour and protect the human rights of every person regardless of their origin, skin colour, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or political views have suffered a tragic setback.
Thus, even a week after the election, the shock hasn’t worn off. I’m scared. And I’m sad.
(Thank you for your time.)