How strange
and riveting the past two weeks had been. This past week our evenings were
fully occupied by the televised events from the Democratic National Convention,
while the previous week we were similarly occupied by the telecasts from the
Republican National Convention. What contrast! What totally contrarian approach
to solving the very same society’s very same problems. One suggests unification
through the joint efforts by all, the other proclaims exclusionary
discrimination against many.
On one side
we have a very much experienced and well educated woman who is very
knowledgeable in the affairs of the world-order; on the other side we have a
rich misogynistic “nut-case” who is well experienced in performing on
television, and whose primary accomplishment besides staring in TV “reality
shows” has been the successful mastering of the high art of profitably
bankrupting business enterprises. Hillary Clinton devoted her entire
professional career to solving social and societal problems. Donald Trump
focused on filling his pockets with profits derived from the impoverishment of
others.
In the past
Hillary Clinton in her public-political activities committed several well-known
errors; Donald Trump did nothing. Only those make no mistakes who do not try to
solve real problems.
In his
excellent and uplifting address at the Democratic Convention president Obama raised
the fundamental question: “Who are we as a people?” Based on their observations
during their travels two-hundred years ago in the young USA that had fewer than
15 million inhabitants then, in their books the French Alexis de Tocqueville (“American
Democracy”, 1835) and the Hungarian Sandor Boloni Farkas (“Travels in North
America”, 1834) gave their answers: they saw democracy in action where all
citizens were equal (unlike in Europe where royal mandate mostly ruled then).
Now the trumpists advertising Trumpism are denying at every opportunity the fundamental
American belief in democracy and are promoting a new exclusionary credo. - - On
one side stands the centuries old American attitude, based on cheerful
optimism, forward look, progress by joining all the forces of our multi-ethnic
society and going forward united. On the other side we face the ugliness of Trumpism
based on fear, anger, and social division, rejecting diversity and trying to
forge political capital from discriminatory targeting of easily identified
minorities. - - Now we have here a face-off between the audacity of hope and pessimistic isolationism.
A
well-qualified experienced individual advocating, and standing on, historically
successful fundamental human principles faces off against an unqualified
inexperienced denier. As of today no one knows for sure who will win. Is this
the consequence of the new “emote-on-demand” mass media approach, or has the
world simply gone mad and suicidal anger replaced the rule of common sense?
