EDITORIAL: A bridge on the ocean
by Brandon Mayer
When it comes to politics, I used to be very outspoken. In fact, I had a monthly opinion column in an area newspaper beginning when I was 14 years old, and many of my columns focused on my overt political opinions. Throughout high school and university, I would take frequent daily breaks from academic reading and writing to drop figurative bombs in the comment sections of political news articles, back when Facebook allowed news. I can remember the feeling of the tension building inside me as I got into some incredibly nasty debates. It was probably about 5-7 years ago that I decided to stop sharing my political opinions directly, choosing instead to make small comments on specific topics, or give hints of my views on issues without aligning myself with a party. This was one of the best decisions of my life. Not only has it reduced my own feelings of tension, but it has allowed me to think more independently when it comes to politics.
People have so many different reasons for supporting different leaders and political parties. Life experiences, upbringing, values, and level of understanding of key issues all play a part in who someone will support politically. It’s important to remember that this is exactly how it’s supposed to be. We are not all supposed to fawn over a mutually agreed “perfect” leader, and scream our disgust at those who support a candidate we deem to be an “enemy”. Democracy is about choices. Different parties exist because people have different views, as they should.
My question for readers is: Can this same neutral stance be applied to Donald Trump? Personally, I think the line has to be drawn somewhere. In years of providing commentary in the Times, I have always explicitly refused to equate Trump with Hitler like so many do, to avoid muddying the seriousness of the Holocaust out of respect for Jewish people. Now, with the serious drama that has brewed since Trump’s second swearing-in ceremony in January, I’m starting to wonder if we’re too late to the game in this regard. Trump’s policies are getting to be alarming. He is obsessed with silencing his opponents. He lacks any sort of grace or professionalism. He is openly and proudly reversing social progress by decades. He is unapologetically full of himself and employs people who stand by his side and blindly sing his praises and inflate his ego, reminiscent of dictators in other countries. He tells lies that are easily debunked, like the idea that the USA “subsidizes” Canada. And most concerning – he is waging war on countries that the USA has historically been friends with, with Canada being the most prominent example. I will come out and say it – the leaders of the rest of the free world must keep an eye on Trump, because reminders of the early Hitler days are starting to creep up more strongly and more frequently.
Trump was democratically elected. Tens of millions of Americans casted their vote for him. I will never dispute democracy. Trump was fairly elected and is the President of the United States. The question is – what hardships are Americans currently facing that led so many of them to believe that only a man like Trump could fix them? Perhaps Americans are sick of political mumbo jumbo and crave a leader who speaks on their level and doesn’t beat around the bush. This is a great thing to want, but this desire needs to be applied to a sane leader with basic respect, professionalism, compassion, and sense.
My question for any Canadian who still supports Trump in the wake of the tariff war and his bid to make Canada the USA’s 51st state is this: What has hurt you strongly enough that you are willing to stand behind a foreign leader that is attacking our great nation? There was recently a report of two Canadian folk singers being pulled over by police in the USA and asked whether their “allegiance” lies with Canada or the USA. It has also been reported that Canadians are being accused of trafficking fentanyl without any evidence to cause such a suspicion. It is fact that only 0.2% of the fentanyl entering USA comes from Canada, but Trump has said otherwise, and a war has been waged on Canadians as a result. There have been recent reports of not just Canadians, but also travellers from Europe and other parts of the world being detained for weeks at a time in USA immigration detention facilities, including at least one reported detention that included a week in solitary confinement. A French scientist who was attempting to enter the United States was denied entry because border patrol agents found text messages to a friend on his phone that criticized Trump’s policies. Has USA become North Korea?
Snowbirds who travel to the USA for more than a month at a time to escape Canada’s cold weather now have to register with the USA government or risk facing penalties. A library that sits on the Canada-USA border in Stanstead, Quebec will soon be inaccessible to Canadians who don’t first visit an official border crossing checkpoint, since the front door is in the USA, and the USA government will no longer allow Canadians to use the front door as has always been tradition. The list goes on and on. You don’t have to take my word for it, but don’t dare to spew the Trump rhetoric of “fake news” without researching these incidents yourself. The facts are there – Trump is acting like a dictator, and he has waged a very direct war on Canada and has stated clear plans to annex our country. By virtue of me writing this article, I may very well be banned from entering the USA under Trump’s regime. So much for free speech.
I try to stay neutral, and for the most part I do, but there is no excuse for any Canadian to support Donald Trump – a deranged egomaniac and dictator wannabe with whom we are now at war. If you believe we would be better off as Americans, then I have something to sell you – a bridge on the ocean – pay me for it and I’ll have the Tooth Fairy write you the deed.
I may not like the state of things in our country right now, particularly the cost of living, but I stand by my country now and forever. Take a hike, Trump, and if any Canadians still support you, please take them along with you.