I appreciate you taking the time to write something that reflects the feelings of so many. Me included. I'm hoping this is not the end of an era but also feel it might be more than just a bump in the road.
As an American appalled by the current administration, I can only agree sadly that the rest of the civilized world must turn away from us until our government returns to one that honors our Constitution and laws. The USA has nothing to offer the world at present. Robert, please trash your Teslas, and encourage others to do the same. Another company will make an even better electric car very soon, perhaps even one that doesn't track you....
We need more people like you to rise up, so hard with all that's going on. Always important to remember Trump doesn't represent everyone, I hope you come out the other side of it, stay strong.
I can't really add to that. But turning away from the USA for the next four years is a firm position to take, whilst hoping the current legitimately elected administration adheres to the four-year term policy, who are evading current laws and conventions as it is. Only then we can hope for an improved relationship in the future, but what the world and its allegiances will look like at that point is up for conjecture.
Love this. Love where I live. Not the Federal Administration even a bit. People are, as is to be expected good folk as you described. We have been here before and this shall pass. Hopefully sooner than usual.
You mention the crazy angry people that have come out of the woodwork. There is a long history of suppressed fascism here naturally. Seems to be a necessary component somewhere in any free society. These choices are not intellectual so not accessible by reason. They are small a minority but indefatigable. In difficult times, their propaganda gathers listeners. In 1992, public access to DARPAs invention, the internet, boosted the power and methods of propaganda by league boots.
This will pass. I trust we shall be delivered whole. If for no other reason than we must.
Don’t abandon us, but in this moment look to yourselves.
My worry is this is not just 4 years. The Orange Buffoon is grooming successors. The Democrats are disorganised and since Obama, have spectacularly failed to find a candidate with anything really about them except "not being the obnoxious other guy".
Excellent description of how so many of us feel. It's awful to see what is happening. The wall of lies coming from the White House. To see so much vile attitudes and hatred.
So many tricked into voting against their best interests. Yes, some of this driven by hatred of others. But when the impacts of the current administration policies and cuts also happen to them appears to be an unpleasant surprise.
Sadly, I see it getting much worse before it gets better and we're only 2 months in...
Great work Robert but I do wonder how you managed to breathe all the time you spent in Amerika. It must have been hard with your head buried so deeply in the sand thst you failed to notice so much. I suppose being wealthy you can live in a bubble with those like you and fly over the ugly truth.
I did ponder asking your permission to use your comment as the starting point of a new post, but on 2nd reading I think you may not approve.
I wanted to explore the now tired trope of trying to dismiss an opinion or attitude you don't agree with by belittling or trying to shame the person you dislike.
And shame them by saying thet are 'too rich' and don't live in the evn more pathetic 'real world'.
Obviously it doesn't work and always backfires on the person who writes such nonsense, mainly because it assumes so much with zero knowledge of the reality of the actual lived experience of the person you are trying to criticise.
So carry on living in your blinkered, narrow and resentful bubble, I hope you are happy.
Oh, one last thing, students who demonstrated against the absurdity and brutality of the Vietnam war used to spell America with a K, that was back in the late 1960's so bang up to date and daring there matey boy.
Most Americans are amiable enough but having had a gun pointed at me 3 times is enough for one lifetime. I refused a job that would have given me a green card, never went back and never would.
I think we have come to a rapprochement, I completely understand, had someone ever pointed a gun at me and I survived, I would avoid that place like the plague. I genuinely understand and pass no judgement.
Ypu lost me at “beacons of hope..”. My point is that ultimately there is nothing admirable about American culture. Apart from its tendency to extreme violence at every level, there is its rampant consumerism, its deep seated racism and a fundamental inability to acknowledge the validity of other cultures.
All very fair and accurate points. I have no arguments against anything you said there. Very clear. I suppose my question is, as in all blanket statements about anything as large and complex as a country, I assume you don't mean ALL Americans.
That is what always worries me about all encompassing terminology, it was very popular in Germany and Italy in the 1930's.
My point is that I am sad about the positive parts of American culture, the stuff that is always overlooked in the ghastly, reactionary, self aggrandising absurdity of the current ruling elite.
I have many good friends in America, they counter all the points you make about the negative and destructive elements in US culture.
And we have to acknowledge, over the last 200 years, many people people did flee dire poverty and starvation in Ireland, a country under the brutal boot of British colonialism.
Jews fleeing from Russia and other easter european areas because, well, they were being murdered.
Italians fleeing dire poverty and lack of opportunity in a country riddled with right wing, mafiosa corruption, the list goes on and on.
In the same way as we should now be proud that people from war torn, climate torn and brutally ruled countries around the globe want to come and live in the UK.
I will say again, they do not want to go to Russia, the biggest and most active supporter of the current bunch of.... individuals running the USA.
That is almost clever. You make some vague, misty allegation and then come back with this response.
I want you to state what "the issue" is. I cannot decode your high horse, more knowing than thou position.
Are you saying any criticism of America is unacceptable as in the MAGA cult?
Or ar you saying there is no possible defense of any aspect of American society ever and the only people who can do that are fantasy (yours not mine) millionaires who fly over the ugly truth.
What is the ugly truth?
Stop trying to be so clever, just state what you mean, who knows, I might agree with you.
At the moment you're just being a tiresome reactionary troll. Do better.
I appreciate you taking the time to write something that reflects the feelings of so many. Me included. I'm hoping this is not the end of an era but also feel it might be more than just a bump in the road.
As an American appalled by the current administration, I can only agree sadly that the rest of the civilized world must turn away from us until our government returns to one that honors our Constitution and laws. The USA has nothing to offer the world at present. Robert, please trash your Teslas, and encourage others to do the same. Another company will make an even better electric car very soon, perhaps even one that doesn't track you....
We need more people like you to rise up, so hard with all that's going on. Always important to remember Trump doesn't represent everyone, I hope you come out the other side of it, stay strong.
I can't really add to that. But turning away from the USA for the next four years is a firm position to take, whilst hoping the current legitimately elected administration adheres to the four-year term policy, who are evading current laws and conventions as it is. Only then we can hope for an improved relationship in the future, but what the world and its allegiances will look like at that point is up for conjecture.
Love this. Love where I live. Not the Federal Administration even a bit. People are, as is to be expected good folk as you described. We have been here before and this shall pass. Hopefully sooner than usual.
You mention the crazy angry people that have come out of the woodwork. There is a long history of suppressed fascism here naturally. Seems to be a necessary component somewhere in any free society. These choices are not intellectual so not accessible by reason. They are small a minority but indefatigable. In difficult times, their propaganda gathers listeners. In 1992, public access to DARPAs invention, the internet, boosted the power and methods of propaganda by league boots.
This will pass. I trust we shall be delivered whole. If for no other reason than we must.
Don’t abandon us, but in this moment look to yourselves.
Thank you for your beautiful essay.
Best,
BP
My worry is this is not just 4 years. The Orange Buffoon is grooming successors. The Democrats are disorganised and since Obama, have spectacularly failed to find a candidate with anything really about them except "not being the obnoxious other guy".
They have surprisingly little time to fix this.
Excellent description of how so many of us feel. It's awful to see what is happening. The wall of lies coming from the White House. To see so much vile attitudes and hatred.
So many tricked into voting against their best interests. Yes, some of this driven by hatred of others. But when the impacts of the current administration policies and cuts also happen to them appears to be an unpleasant surprise.
Sadly, I see it getting much worse before it gets better and we're only 2 months in...
Great work Robert but I do wonder how you managed to breathe all the time you spent in Amerika. It must have been hard with your head buried so deeply in the sand thst you failed to notice so much. I suppose being wealthy you can live in a bubble with those like you and fly over the ugly truth.
I did ponder asking your permission to use your comment as the starting point of a new post, but on 2nd reading I think you may not approve.
I wanted to explore the now tired trope of trying to dismiss an opinion or attitude you don't agree with by belittling or trying to shame the person you dislike.
And shame them by saying thet are 'too rich' and don't live in the evn more pathetic 'real world'.
Obviously it doesn't work and always backfires on the person who writes such nonsense, mainly because it assumes so much with zero knowledge of the reality of the actual lived experience of the person you are trying to criticise.
So carry on living in your blinkered, narrow and resentful bubble, I hope you are happy.
Oh, one last thing, students who demonstrated against the absurdity and brutality of the Vietnam war used to spell America with a K, that was back in the late 1960's so bang up to date and daring there matey boy.
Most Americans are amiable enough but having had a gun pointed at me 3 times is enough for one lifetime. I refused a job that would have given me a green card, never went back and never would.
I think we have come to a rapprochement, I completely understand, had someone ever pointed a gun at me and I survived, I would avoid that place like the plague. I genuinely understand and pass no judgement.
Ypu lost me at “beacons of hope..”. My point is that ultimately there is nothing admirable about American culture. Apart from its tendency to extreme violence at every level, there is its rampant consumerism, its deep seated racism and a fundamental inability to acknowledge the validity of other cultures.
All very fair and accurate points. I have no arguments against anything you said there. Very clear. I suppose my question is, as in all blanket statements about anything as large and complex as a country, I assume you don't mean ALL Americans.
That is what always worries me about all encompassing terminology, it was very popular in Germany and Italy in the 1930's.
My point is that I am sad about the positive parts of American culture, the stuff that is always overlooked in the ghastly, reactionary, self aggrandising absurdity of the current ruling elite.
I have many good friends in America, they counter all the points you make about the negative and destructive elements in US culture.
And we have to acknowledge, over the last 200 years, many people people did flee dire poverty and starvation in Ireland, a country under the brutal boot of British colonialism.
Jews fleeing from Russia and other easter european areas because, well, they were being murdered.
Italians fleeing dire poverty and lack of opportunity in a country riddled with right wing, mafiosa corruption, the list goes on and on.
In the same way as we should now be proud that people from war torn, climate torn and brutally ruled countries around the globe want to come and live in the UK.
I will say again, they do not want to go to Russia, the biggest and most active supporter of the current bunch of.... individuals running the USA.
No attempt to address the issue. As expected.
That is almost clever. You make some vague, misty allegation and then come back with this response.
I want you to state what "the issue" is. I cannot decode your high horse, more knowing than thou position.
Are you saying any criticism of America is unacceptable as in the MAGA cult?
Or ar you saying there is no possible defense of any aspect of American society ever and the only people who can do that are fantasy (yours not mine) millionaires who fly over the ugly truth.
What is the ugly truth?
Stop trying to be so clever, just state what you mean, who knows, I might agree with you.
At the moment you're just being a tiresome reactionary troll. Do better.
"At the moment you're just being a tiresome reactionary troll".... suggest you waste no more time Robert.
There are lots of Chinese migrating into Siberia, Russia
There are constant escapees from occupied Tibet
The sad stories we hear of Rohingya Muslims
China is horrific, but just enough on the sly so as to hide under your radar.....