reminds Americans never to take democracy for granted

I needed to go back to my city. The mood of all my friends and family in Washington, without exception, was one of fear, depression and even panic. There was still this recurring shock to what seemed like an imminent free fall of democracy, common sense and simple decency. I went back to Because where was my country?

I was born and raised in Washington DC, but it’s true that the city doesn’t represent the country. It’s not full of farms, cornfields, small evangelical churches, nor is it a manufacturing town. Not where people have lived for generations. It is transient. People like my father were there because they were civil servants, diplomats, military, lawyers, or part of the infrastructure that supported or reported to the world those professions. nevertheless…

An African-American who spent his childhood in public schools in Indonesia and later in Hawaii, Barack Obama’s eight-year presidency was emancipated by most Americans and most of the world. believed to be a symbol of This was a reaffirmation of the public belief that “all men are created equal…” and on the surface racism seemed to be on the decline. Equality, nepotism, and family dynasties seemed irrelevant in the new world. Democrats and human rights defenders celebrated. the world celebrated. But alas, not for long.

There are some moments etched in our collective memory, like when President John F. Kennedy was shot in Texas, then Martin Luther King Jr., then Robert Kennedy. , the cruel and despotic acts of Joseph McCarthy destroyed hundreds of lives by false accusations that many citizens were later proven to be “communists with cards”, and by his questioning Joseph We remember with horror when we were finally stopped by Welch, but later with pride. To McCarthy, “Is there no dignity, Your Excellency?”

A surreal moment happened on June 16, 2015, when a man named Donald J. Trump stepped majestically down the golden Trump Tower escalator and stepped into American politics. Owner of hotels in the United States and around the world (Turkey, Philippines, India, etc.), Trump was also the founder of the short-lived Trump University, Trump Steak, Trump Vodka, Trump Golf Courses, Clubs, and more. Many of the companies declared bankruptcy, but that didn’t stop many Americans from embracing Trump’s “Superman” image and believing his promises and lies. His progress was arguably one of the strangest phenomena in American “experimental” history. And it takes decades of political and sociological analysis to understand how this happened.

An underlying reality of American life was pointed out, which may have led to this anomaly. First, for myriad reasons, most Americans do not trust or feel comfortable with Washington’s work. Outsiders like Abraham Lincoln, who was born in a log cabin to poor farmers in Kentucky and Indiana, and peanut farmers Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama in Georgia, are often chosen to lead the country. I have. For non-Americans, especially Europeans, those men were seemingly unlikely choices. Not so with Donald Trump.

In short, “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) turned out to be a dream come true for racist and bigoted people. Materialism took root. The prejudice normalized when the fast-moving Republican Party realized that its base favored economic growth rather than immigration. Vulgarity and brutality were normalized when Trump and his political team began giving ugly speeches.When Trump mocked a disabled journalist, his base did the same. When the president needed to step up his huge economic projects in several countries such as Turkey and the Philippines, Trump declared the leaders of these countries his best friends. His gigantic hotel across the street never came to fruition, but Trump borrowed millions of dollars from Russian sources after he went bankrupt in the 1990s, all of which is well documented. has been changed.)

Trump threatened unity between Europe and NATO, withdrew the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change Mitigation, declaring the deal would “damage” the American economy. Even if it falls into the hands of a child. Trump and his accomplices embraced offensive weapons despite the regular deaths of children in schools across the country. The ultra-conservative Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade ruling, and women’s reproductive freedom was no longer guaranteed. ‘s MAGA base and even Republican politicians declared the election illegal and rigged.

After 6 years of Trump’s influence, using intimidation and intimidation, 4 were in office and 2 were in the opposition, a very quiet shift began to emerge

After six years of Trump’s influence, with four in office and two in the opposition using intimidation and intimidation, a very quiet shift began to emerge. In my opinion, it wasn’t the less-than-perfect effort by the Democrats that President Biden attempted, and it wasn’t brought about by social media that only spoke to its own audience. CEO of a large company. It is not brought to you by universities, newspapers or celebrities. Nor is it the result of the Jan. 6 committee hearings in Congress, by the Justice Department, which is still struggling after an incredibly long period to either indict the former president or not. Nor was it caused by the endless rants of Democratic politicians. It should be added that this silent emergence is happening despite the distortions and fiction created by Fox, one of the most widely monitored cable news networks in the world.

So what is this? For weeks, Republicans have been boasting that a giant “red wave,” a tsunami of tidal waves, will explode in the midterm elections and make America Trumpland again forever. Even analogy choices are terrifying (tsunamis bring death and destruction). No matter which camp, everyone saw a huge surge in Republican votes, and the enduring power and permanence of the far right was predicted as a result.

What appears to be the case (both literally and figuratively) against all odds is a grassroots effort involving a large number of young people voting, perhaps for the first time, and women learning to say no to men. , which determines what men can and cannot do. Everyday Americans who believe in decency, righteousness, democracy, and the rule of law are reappearing.

Democrats maintain control of the Senate. Of course, the MAGA cult’s funding and influence won’t diminish overnight. But the margins are much slimmer than we would have liked. The difference in Fox News Network commentary is almost eerie, proving once again how transparently false and deceptive certain media outlets can be.

These are small shifts in political mood, but very important. America was clearly in danger. Clearly, tremendous work awaits us…in protecting the basic rights of women, in the tricky business of gun control, in free gerrymandering, in protecting our planet. However, these mood swings should not be taken for granted.

Political dissection is not always accurate, or even desired, but introspection is. Perhaps we got the message. Democracy is very fragile. A dictatorship is not a foreign monopoly. The quality is still there. And sometimes pure relief is the strongest pleasure. Nevertheless.

* Tenia Christopoulos is a freelance writer in Washington, DC, living in Athens. She has contributed to her Kathimerini, The Washington Post, Athens Insider Magazine, Tatler and she is the author of ‘Lords of the Dance’.