“Some people are so fond of ill-luck that they run half-way to meet it” (wit and opinion of Douglas Jerrold). From 2016 till last week, Donald Trump sprinted with great enthusiasm to meet his inevitable Waterloo.
It is in the nature of things that light will dawn upon darkness; goodness of man will overtake evil and arrogance will yield to humility. Donald Trump’s stay at the White House was characterized by the xenophobic behavior of tweeting at 3:00 am in the morning on critical issues like the pandemic (COVID-19), defence, security and foreign policy issues. In fact, he made fun of the COVID-19, by refusing to recognize it as a deadly virus. He also never felt shy in ‘calling names’ of international leaders of known and repute. It was like, he would wake up from a horrible nightmare and record it by punching the keys on his twitter account. He ridiculed everybody, without exception, including the poor young journalist of possibly Chinese origin by remarking to her, “lower your voice”. It albeit was good to see, she stood her ground, as a responsible American Citizen.
Donald Trump beguiled the American nation in 2016, by declaring white supremacy as his cornerstone of policy-making, which was in absolute contrast to over 200 years of peaceful coexistence of all, regardless of creed, colour or religion. He destroyed the fabric of the thought of unity amidst diversity. In doing so, he must have turned Abe Lincoln’s corpse several times over in his grave. The man who stood for the rights of black / colored people more than a century ago was mocked by the disdainful and arrogant response of the cold blooded murder of Floyd.
“I can’t breathe……. I can’t…”, will ring in the ears of the American nation for the longest of time. Such wounds take very long to heal. If Lincoln stood for unity, Trump pursued relentlessly the destructive division of the otherwise people of American society. Lincoln in a letter to the combative editor of the New-York Tribune spelt out his mission as the President. He wrote, “ My paramount objective in this struggle is to save the union, and is not to either save or destroy slavery. If I could save the union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that”. Clarity of purpose; equality for man.
In April 1963, while serving a sentence in Birmingham City Jail, Dr. Martin Luther King, jr, wrote to his fellow clergyman, “Moreover, I am cognisant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states …. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial ‘’outside agitator‘ idea. Anyone who lives inside the United Stated can ever be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds”. Little, did King know then, that a certain Mr. Trump, will steamroll these ideas, by subscribing to white supremacy. Donald Trump in just four years jolted the American legacy of lofty ideals.
Joe Biden used no scathing comments of a demeaning nature during his campaign. He was gentle, graceful with pleasing demeanor. It is so important for leadership to be a beacon of good behavior and disposition. Even Confucius talked of the need of “Gentleman” for the field of politics, social services and leadership.
Biden never did allow personal tragedies of losing a young wife and little daughter in a car accident or having to bring his twenty something year old son, who succumbed to cancer, in his work ethics. It is believed that he spent all his savings, including selling his own house, to pay for the healthcare of his beloved son. Alexander Pope, the poet composed these lines for Joseph Addison, who held political office, “Statesman, yet friend to truth; of soul sincere. In action faithful, and in honor clear; who broke no promise, served no private end, who gained no title, and who lost no friend”. Pope would have altered no word for Joe Biden.
Biden, is not a novice, as Trump was, when he entered the Oval Office. He is a trained and well groomed politician of over fifty years of experience at the Capitol Hill, including being Vice-President to Barack Obama. His understanding is clean and clear how the “establishment” works in Washington, DC.
Till the writing of this piece, Trump has not conceded defeat. A very bad loser, just the way, he was an arrogant winner, in 2016. His delay in doing so, has the potency to split the American nation. Trump should take que from Al Gore, who lost by a whisker! From his (Donald Trump) behavior, it seems he has been trained in the nursery of Pakistani politicians: accept results, if you win; allege rigging if you lose. We hear ‘Vote ko Izzat do’, only when defeated; otherwise upon winning the cloaked slogan is: “Awam ko bay-izzat karo”.
Leadership based on negativity doesn’t last. Donald Trump joins the club of Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush as the third of the trio, who couldn’t manage a second term to their Presidency. Trustworthiness is the most critical element of leadership; and Donald Trump lost it when he set upon to divide the American Society.
Joe Biden has a task ahead. He already has begun well by stating he is president of the USA and not the Democratic Party (Will PDM learn something from here) Biden will by his endearingly charismatic smile, charm the nation back to unity and behavior of tolerance. He embraces diversity as against white supremacy. I see his first hundred days as healing endeavour.
In this writer’s view, the most heartening part about this Presidential election has been that by and large, most Americans spoke through ballot, in showing indignation, repungancy and rejection to the ill-behavior of politicians. (our politicians get away by challenging even the gender status of opponents!). Pitiable.
Joe Biden goes down in history already as one who received the highest ever votes, that exceeded 74 million…. and still counting. Success is the outcome of the battle between confidence and conceit.
However, no attempt should be made to dis-credit Donald Trump from the fact he was all verbal foam of threat, but he attacked no country or killed innocent civilians under the grab of fighting terrorism or US interests. A bloated baloon, he was/ is, with unstoppable supply of helium that made him soar beyond his skills, abilities and talents.
It is this writer’s unflinching believe that Biden’s Presidency will reflect the words of Lao-Tzu, “ Those who are good I treat as good, those who are not good I also trust as good, In doing so I gain in goodness. Those who are of good faith I have faith in them. Those who are lacking in good faith I also have faith in. In doing so I gain in good faith”. Leaders, ought to know, trust begets trust, truth begets truth and honesty begets honesty. Joe Biden has a task, not totally arduous, since the principles of American society have not been irreparable dented / damaged, to clean up the stables and usher a united USA and a peaceful Global Village.
(The writer is a freelance contributor)
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020