And this is what it means
America that was once considered a melting pot, which had its vibrancy because of the diversity of different cultures and ethnicities blending together would now witness a culture of hate and intolerance
He was called a misogynist, a sexist, a racist, a birther, a hate-monger, a xenophobe and of course a shameless liar. None of these adjectives hold any positive meanings atleast not for sensible rational individuals other than of course if you happen to be a white supremacist. It is absolutely flabbergasting to see these supremacist Americans vote into office a man with all these ghastly traits. How interestingly dichotomous is the fact that someone who unabashedly made the most derogatory remarks about women is going to lead a country that has been preaching women empowerment/emancipation to the whole world. But then of course having witnessed one of the most bizarre election campaigns in the world history, one cannot expect anything less dramatic and less bizarre and less absurd and less hypocritical and less ludicrous from American politics in atleast next four years.
America that was once considered a melting pot, which had its vibrancy because of the diversity of different cultures and ethnicities blending together would now witness a culture of hate and intolerance amongst the various ethnic groups living there.
It will be scary to see America, the aspiring global hegemon, being led by someone who vehemently showed his resentment for other religions. He categorically called out for a complete shutdown of Muslims. His verbosity while countering Gold Star Khan Family is indicative of his immense bias and animosity for the Muslim Community which has been one of the forces and contributors to the American GDP.Trump played the card of Islamophobia smartly and convinced the silent voters to come forth and vote him in the office and then see him translate his racism into massive cultural genocide.
Americans are an interesting breed. They hardly practice what they preach. They go about telling the world how peace and harmony is important for the world when they themselves are wreaking havoc practically everywhere on the globe. They reach out to the Africans with their aid packages when they themselves have deliberately and very connivingly inflicted upon them all sorts of epidemics and financial crisis. They tell Arabs to rise up against monarchy when it was these very Americans who created the demons like Saddam and Gaddafi. They preach the world how everyone needs to unite against terrorism while they themselves continue creating and financing monsters such as Taliban and ISIS. They harp upon the dangers of atomic bomb while they continue bombing innocents in Iraq and Syria. They keep preaching how America wants peace and is bent upon battling terrorism when they themselves are the biggest perpetrators of hate and terrorism in the world. The UN with ambassadors such as Angelina Jolie post the most horrific pictures reflecting their concern over the impoverished millions living in abject poverty when America herself has been fostering chaos in the region so that it could conveniently continue extracting resources. Amidst all such dichotomies Trump’s win should not surprise us.
I think for the very first time in history Americans have been honest about their inclinations and tendencies.Americans are people who revere Christopher Columbus: an invader who forcefully converted the natives into Cathocolism, who committed atrocities of unimaginable magnitude, who subjugated Native Americans, who plundered the land in pursuit of gold, who encouraged rape of women and children. Someone who discovered America because he was totally ignorant of the size of the earth and not because he was a visionary tells us a lot about the general intelligence quotient of white Americans who hold him in high esteem as their much celebrated hero. This psyche is reflective of the very supremacist nature of the white Americans who are driven by the lust for power and money and our greedy to the boot.
By voting in Trump Americans have given off a very strong signal that they are a sexist ,racist, ruthlessly capitalistic nation.
Trump’s win is also a manifestation of a reversal of globalisation. When America, the epitome of capitalism, advocates barring immigrants from entry into once-a-land-of-opportunities, it implies that free mobility of humans is not free anymore.
But there is another perspective as well, since Trump is an amateur in politics his whimsical and erratic demeanor might just set America on its inevitable decline which could of course be a win-win situation for China and her allies
Trump with practically no knowledge of politics and of course with no diplomatic skills is going to change the rules of the game completely. With his aggressive demeanor he is bound to miff his neighbours, especially Mexico and Cuba.
With his open praise for Putin, Saddam Hussain and Kim Jong Un, Trump has revealed his fondness for authoritarianism.
Trump’s offhanded support for Saudi Arabia to build their nuclear weapons is testimony to the fact that Middle East is going to be rife with conflict and mayhem for years to come.
With his anti-China and pro-Israel and pro–India stance Trump is going to be tough for Pakistan as well. With his stake in the Indian economy it is obvious that he would go the extra mile to please Indians, strengthen them economically and militarily for the containment of China. it is not something that Pakistan should be very happy about. That Trump very conveniently advocated using India’s help to deal with Pakistan is quite alarming for us especially when we are successfully on board with China on CPEC. Political pundits in Pakistan are certainly unnerved and alarmed.
But there is another perspective as well, since Trump is an amateur in politics his whimsical and erratic demeanor might just set America on its inevitable decline which could of course be a win-win situation for China and her allies. It is of course too soon to make such assertions. At the moment it is troubling to see a psychopath become the most influential person on earth.
Let us hope the world community realises the gravity of the situation and does everything that is needed to insulate against Trumpish stupidities so that in the end it is the white supremacists with their proud isolationism crumbling down while the world rises.
Best of luck America with this dramatic plunge:from sauve Obama to crass Trump.
By the way if it is Trump this time you never know it could be one of the Kardashians next time.
The writer teaches Economics at Kinnaird College for Women and can be reached at [email protected]
tizens of one State.”
Even previously, during the early part of his political life, MA Jinnah had remained aloof from the Khilafat Movement launched by Indian Muslims under the leadership of Moulana Mohammad Ali against the dismemberment of Turkish Caliphate. And Allama Iqbal vigorously supported the abolition of Turkish Caliphate. Allama said: “The Grand National Assembly has exercised the power of Ijtijad (which means to exert with a view to form an independent judgement on a legal question) in regard to the institution of Khilafat. According to Sunni Law, the appointment of an Imam or Khalifa is absolutely indispensable. The first question that arises in this connection is this – should the Caliphate be vested in a single person? Turkey’s Ijtihad is that according to the spirit of Islam the Caliphate or Imamate can be vested in a body of persons, or an elected Assembly. Personally, I believe the Turkish view is perfectly sound. It is hardly necessary to argue this point. The republican form of government is not only thoroughly consistent with the spirit of Islam, but has also become a necessity in view of the new forces that are set free in the world of Islam. The truth is that among the Muslim nations of today, Turkey alone has shaken off its dogmatic slumber, and attained to self-consciousness. She alone has claimed her right of intellectual freedom; she alone has passed from the ideal to the real – a transition which entails keen intellectual and moral struggle (p.157 The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam).”
So, it would be in the fitness of things if the leaders of the present “azadi” movement, while keeping the Muslim League history in view, answer the title question before Talibanism hijacks “azadi”.