The November 8, 2016 American Presidential election has come and gone. It has become another topic and chapter in American political history but it has also left us with some lessons to learn.
The November 8, 2016 American Presidential election has come and gone. It has become another topic and chapter in American political history but it has also left us with some lessons to learn.
First the election has revealed a great disconnect between media reality and real reality. The media world of mirage continuously painted a picture of defeat for Trump and landslide victory for Clinton through numerous media editorials and analyses that were strongly pro-Clinton. The media subtle prediction and support for Clinton was backed with countless pre-election polls that predicted victory for Clinton, but all had been proved wrong by the real reality. Americans showed the world that they were not influenced by the media activities.
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Also through their actions, Americans have told the world the need to have a serious re-think about the real influence of election polls as indicator for election outcome. Change they say, is the only constant thing in life.
Secondly, the election has revealed the power and determination of groups who feel their interest are represented by political candidate. As political analysts have commented, the election was a reflection of the interests and desires of the whites in American who are constantly furious with the influx of migrants and refugees into the American society and the resultant effect of inter-cultural blend. This egoistic feeling that our culture and society should be immuned from external cultural influences represented the interests of majority of the whites who trooped out for vote for Trump. To them, Trump, is a perfect gentleman who never minced his word in helping them express their views.
This scenario equally played out during the last Israeli election during which the present Prime Minister was reelected. At the beginning of the electioneering process, he tried to be diplomatic and to be perceived as a democrat, but when he realized the stark reality facing him, few weeks to the election, he changed his campaign focus and promised to stop the two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. With that, he appeared attractive to the extremist groups in Israel and he won his reelection bid.
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Another bitter lesson this election has fostered on us is American’s indifference to all the sexual and financial scandals and allegations leveled against Trump. To them, all his sexual scandals are his personal issues and not their own concerns as long as he will help them achieve their egocentric agenda.
The use of fear and hate in campaign has also been confirmed to be another critical factor in electioneering process. A core component of Trump campaign was hate speech, which he used judiciously to attract the attention and win the interests of the extreme groups.
Reports emanating from American cities reveal post election protests by some segments of the American society due to perceived feeling of unpopularity associated with the presidency of Donald Trump. The election will further rub negatively on the already battered image of America among its allies and foes. It will make America’s allies to start having a rethink about strategic relationship with America. Most of the goodwill wishes conveyed by most America’s allies such as Germany, Britain, France, Turkey, Italy, European Union were cautionary in nature devoid of real celebration. The messages bore the customary greeting not the usual euphoria if it were to be Clinton. Well Americans have spoken and the wishes of Americans must be respected by others. But it was a forced reality.
For America’s foes, the election has conferred on them certain moral justifications to carry out their affairs without any moral police telling them how to practice their democracy. If America, the so called moral police can have Trump with his bags full of scandals as its 45th president, then America must learn to mind its business when others produce their own presidents. Now Americans have been told in strong terms that nobody is an island of knowledge and morality.
It is high time America learned to mind its business and leave the issue of providing political guidance to other nations aside. What would be Washington’s reaction if the election that produced Trump was to be conducted by an African nation?. John Kerry would have issued a critical statement on the outcome of the election, CNN and other western media outlets would by now be showing us clips of the scandals of would-be president.
Well, like other world leaders, I wish Donald Trump success and America God’s Guidance
Ganiu Okunnu, Lecturer wrote from Abeokuta, Nigeria
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