Thoughts on American Independence Day 2024

"President Joe Biden's debate performance was a disaster. His disjointed responses and dazed look sparked calls for him to drop out of the presidential race.

But lost in the hand wringing was Donald Trump's usual bombastic litany of lies, hyperbole, bigotry, ignorance, and fear mongering. His performance demonstrated once again that he is a danger to democracy and unfit for office.

In fact, the debate about the debate is misplaced. The only person who should withdraw from the race is Trump.

Trump, 78, has been on the political stage for eight years marked by chaos, corruption, and incivility. Why go back to that?"

- Editorial in The Philadelphia Enquirer, June 29, 2024

Dear America.

Today is July 4th, Independence Day in the United States, the day when Americans celebrate the birth of the Republic in 1776.  248 years later, the United States faces one of the greatest challenges in its history.  Someone has emerged who wants king-like powers bestowed upon him.  Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, demands loyalty to himself, not to the United States of America.  This is how authoritarians behave.  Trump's words and deeds are extremely disturbing, a threat to America's freedoms.  If Trump wins the election, he will assume king-like powers, especially after the Supreme Court's decision that would give him immunity in official matters.  

The Supreme Court's decision means that if Trump wins the presidency, the guardrails would be off.  He could order the assassination of a political opponent, organize a military coup, or take a bribe in exchange for a pardon.  It is not difficult to imagine Trump acting in this way if he regains he highest office in the land.  

On his social media platform, Trump has called for a televised military tribunal for former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, and the imprisonment of top elected officials, including President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.  He has decreed that Cheney is guilty of treason because, even though she is a conservative, she has been severely critical of Trump.  She has bravely defended the rule of law.

"The rule of law means in this country that the law is not used as an instrument of the ruler -- the rule of law is supposed to contain the ruler. The Supreme Court just undid that, and it's binding." 

- Rachel Maddow, MSNBC

As a Canadian, I am profoundly worried about the political climate south of the border as the November 5th election draws closer..  I write this out of the utmost concern and consternation.  It is not an exaggeration to say that the 2024 election is the most consequential in American history.  It must be emphasized that the election is much more than just a choice between two men, Joe Biden and Donald Trump.  The real choice is between democracy and rule of law (represented by President Joe Biden) versus chaos and authoritarianism (represented by former president Donald Trump.  Democracy is on the table.  It is on the ballot.  In fact, American Republic has not been so severely threatened since the Civil War of 1861 to 1865.

Donald Trump will not accept the results of the 2024 election unless he wins.  During the recent debate, he was asked if he would respect the peaceful transfer of power if he lost the election.  He replied that he would absolutely accept the results of a fair election.  For Trump, the only fair election is one in which he is victorious.  Otherwise, he considers the election a scam.

It saddens me that there are people in the United States who wear T-shirts proclaiming "I'm voting for the convicted felon."  Since when has being a convicted felon become a source of pride, something to brag about?  Trump brings out the worst in Americans and he gives them a licence to be crude and rude and racist.  He is a cult leader who has convinced many of his followers that he has been sent by God to save America.  

 

Donald Trump is the biggest whiner and complainer on the planet, constantly portraying himself as a victim.  He's gotten away with far too much for far too long.  If anyone else had done what Trump had done, he or she would be prison right now.  Michael Cohen served prison time for his crime, the same crime that Donald Trump committed.  Isn't justice suppose to be blind to wealth and privilege?

Frankly, the mainstream corporate media are far too easy on Trump, despite the fact that Trump is a clear and present danger to the United States and to the world.  Joe Biden is not a racist or a misogynist.  He did not lead an unruly right-wing mob in an attempt to overturn the results of a valid election.  He has not threatened anyone's life the way Trump's mob threatened to hang then-Vice President Mike Pence.  Biden has not given tax cuts to billionaires.  He has not ignored the threat of climate change.  He has not praised dictators such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un.  Nor has had tried to keep classified documents for himself/  Nor has he been found liable for sexual abuse and defamation as Trump has in the E. Jean Carroll Case. Nor has he locked up the children of migrants in detention centres, separating them from their parents.  President Biden has not behaved like a mob boss.

Despite all of this, it is Joe Biden who is facing a whirlwind of criticism over his debate performance, some from his own Democratic party.  However, very few Republicans are calling for Donald Trump to step down in the wake of his criminal behaviour.  Many Republicans have criticized Trump in the past, but are standing by him now.  They are only concerned about winning power, not the welfare of their country.

Trump hates the free press whenever he is criticized.  He has called the media "the enemy of the people." in the chilling language of a despot.  However, as the former host of a reality show, Trump understands that the media thrive on controversy and ratings.  He is a showman, a bully and a con man,  and the press falls right into his hands.  

It's Biden who is on the defensive, while Trump seemingly gets away with everything.  For the most part, Trump's delaying tactics have prevented the courts from giving him the justice his deserves.  However, his luck can' last forever.  Sooner or later, he's destined for a reckoning.  This is not to argue that Biden should not be under scrutiny, or that there should no be questions about his performance during the debate, but why hasn't Trump been criticized more strongly for his outright lies during the debate?

Why is Tramp allowed to run for the office of President of the United States after all he has done?  He is a sick man and he is becoming more unhinged every day.  Democracy in America has a strong heartbeat. but is it strong enough to withstand the onslaught from Donald Trump and his supporters?  We'll find out on November 5th.  Meanwhile, I will continue to alert you to the consequences if Trump is returned to the Oval Office.  Don't ever say I didn't warn you.

Sincerely,

Joanne

Air India Bombing and Vijaya Thampi

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 2010

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world."

— Oscar Wilde (The Critic as Artist)

That's one for all you dreamers on a summer day in June. I believe it's a good thing to be a dreamer - as long as one doesn't become too obsessed and nreasonable. I alo believe there is a correlation between dreaming and creativity. So, yes, I am proud to count myself among the dreamers of this world. I am definitely with Oscar Wilde on that one. After all, the witty Mr. Wilde was one of the world's most creative playwrights.


THE AIR INDIA BOMBING AND VIJAYA THAMPI

Today is a sober anniversary for Canadians. This is the 25th anniversary of the Air India bombing, the worst terrorist attack in Canadian history and the deadliest case of aviation terrorism until the 9/11 attacks in the United States in 2001. On June 23, 1985, an airplane operating on the Montréal-London-Delhi-Bombay route. — a Boeing 747 - was blown up by a bomb while in Irish airspace and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. The attack was orchestrated by Sikh extremists and all 329 people aboard Air India Flight 182 were killed, 280 of whom were Canadian. A quarter of a century later, their family and friends still mourn them and feel the pain of loss.

It always hits home when you can put a face to the victims of a disaster. One of the victims of Air India Flight 182 worked at my place of employment. Her name was Vijaya Thampi and she was a Toronto Star employee. She worked in the Human Resources Dept. and I worked in the library, but I recall speaking to her briefly.  I remember her as a very pleasant woman.and I will not forget her.   I'll be thinking about her today and all the other innocent victims of that doomed Air India flight.


SPORTS

I attended the Blue Jays game at the dome last night. The Jays began their series with the St. Louis Cardinals. They lost by a score of 9-4 even though Jose Bautista hit 2 home runs. Bautista now leads the major leagues in home runs with 20. Brett Cecil was the starting pitcher for the Jays and it was not one of his better performances. Aaron Hill and Adam Lind continue to strggle. This is very worrisome since they are the number 2 and 3 hitters in the batting order. Jarrett Hoffpauir, the new third basman for the Jays, made his debut last night and chalked up his first hit in a Blue Jays uniform.

The area around Union Station, the harbourfront and the dome resembles an armed camp due to that infernal G20 Summit. There are police and fences everywhere.

- Joanne