The price of democracy is eternal vigilance. It would be reckless and a failure of democratic norms to leave a bull in a china shop. America has seen this kind of presidency before. Andrew Jackson was known for being crude and lawless when he rose to the presidency through populist campaigns in 1824.
American presidents have often genuflected to the caprice of land-owning white men. The demand for land by this group led to the Indian Removal Act of 1830, when America was a frontier nation. All Indians living east of the Mississippi were forcibly removed, leading to the Trail of Tears.
Jackson’s presidency was just as erratic as Donald Trump’s. He was censured by the U.S. Congress for firing the Treasury Secretary and attempting to turn the American treasury into a private depository. He owned slaves but was not outwardly hostile to Black people. However, his statements on Black slaves were telling: they should remain slaves or be sent abroad. When asked whether he owned slaves, he said he had not bought or sold more than one or two slaves and believed he was more or less the slave in the relationship.
He suppressed any movement for the abolition of slavery during his presidency. As a Southern plantation owner with many slaves, some testified to his cruelty. He is known for his erratic nature, cruelty toward non-white peoples, and lawlessness, much like Donald Trump.
Thomas Jefferson was so alarmed that he wrote of Andrew Jackson, “He is one of the most unfit men for the office. He has no respect for law, his passions are terrible, and he is dangerous.”
Some of Jackson’s actions, supporting the nullification of federal laws, increased tensions between the North and South that led to the American Civil War. It appears Donald Trump is copying much from Andrew Jackson.
The pardon of the January 6 rioters has left a sour taste in the mouths of most Americans, including many of his supporters. At this moment, Republicans are in the majority, and they are too scared to say no. There is no one to bell the cat.
Some of Trump’s policies are beginning to be seen as cruel to those who have no voice. He started with undocumented persons, and now he is moving to cut care for the elderly and disabled. This is why opposition is growing.
The answer to Trump is not escapism for Black people. Black Americans are the conscience of America. Democracy in America today is the result of Black struggles. In fighting for their freedom, they freed everyone to enjoy the promises of America. They are the only group that has consistently spoken truth to Pharaoh. Many immigrants who don’t understand this history always think they are succeeding until they meet the impediments of irrational white people who want to reclaim their lost glory and make America white again.
Trump is the result. During the elections, you can see this irrationality in immigrant voters-descendants of Palestinians, Mexicans, and probably Nigerians too. The Palestinians mocked Kamala Harris as being in the pocket of Netanyahu, calling her “Genocide Kamala.” They gave victory to Donald Trump in the Democratic strongholds of Michigan. White women have also started crying. I don’t care.
They proudly cast their votes for Trump without knowing some basic history of Netanyahu and American politics. American politics is always crazy. The constant is Israel. The Democrats try to moderate the behaviour of Israel, while the Republicans support anything Israel wants. For a Palestinian to look to a Republican president for relief against Israel is like looking for water in the Sahara.
Netanyahu is a special case. In his first year in office, Clinton was fuming after a meeting with Netanyahu. He asked his staff, “Who does he think he is, talking to the President of the United States that way?” His staff replied, “That is Netanyahu, sir. He thinks he is the President of the United States, and you are his chief of staff.” That was then.
Bibi Netanyahu is all-American. He grew up and studied in the United States. He knows the ways of Washington better than Donald Trump, and Trump has surrendered the driver’s seat to him. Now the Palestinians and Mexicans are calling on Black America to help them fight back. Black Americans say, “We are looking forward to going on vacation at the new holiday resort that Donald Trump is constructing in Palestine. We have fought so much; we deserve a break. See you guys in four years if you haven’t been deported for protesting Israel’s occupation and Trump’s New Jerusalem: a place where all the angels of the choir are well-paid by Elon Musk. The angels are all white, not Jews.”
God bless Donald Trump. He has concentrated his energies on immigrants, and the police have forgotten about Black people. That is freedom!
All these folks voted against their personal interests and assumed that Donald Trump would be true to his word. Now that the chickens are coming home to roost, they are claiming ignorance. This is a democracy. It is your responsibility to know.
DR. AUSTIN ORETTE WRITES FROM HOUSTON, TEXAS
