...She painted Trump as a hater, the worst kind that deserved the hate of all Americans and she almost succeeded.
Paul AremoOluwa
What better way to talk about the US elections than begin with that quote from Hilary Clinton's concession speech at the end of it. The just concluded election was filled with hate speech, insults, and physical violence. It was so terrible that it seem extraordinarily unbelievable that such wave of violence could sweep across the US of A, a nation prided to be on the height of human civilisation.
Just when we thought we had seen it all post election is threatening to be a major rip at the fragment of liberty and freedom that has been the fabric and hallmark of American civilisation.
During the elections, no doubt there was hate from both sides of the political divide. However, the democrats outperformed the republican supporters in the basely assaults, yet it does not justify any of the ardent supporters.
But looking with intent on instances of pre election violence, it was the Trump rally in California (Democrat's blue chip) that almost never held because of pro Hilary supporters that laid wait, or rather siege, at the venue, hurling insults, pelting Trump supporters with eggs and even bloodied a man at the venue, others were stalked far away from the venue and were badly beaten. That incident reminds me of the 2015 Nigerian Presidential pre election when a siting President -the flag bearer of the #Pdp was pelted with stones by elements of the then opposition party #Apc at his rally in one of the northern states, to the dismay of sound minds.
I barely read or heard a case were Hilary was almost prevented from running a rally. But of course, one does not insinuate that Hilary ordered such beastly charade, deliberately, but there is hardly any flame that does not breathe smoke. For Clinton to acknowledge that the nation was more divided that they thought is perhaps an afterthought, her campaign organisation did more digging into Trump's pasts by revealing leaked tapes, interview clips, personal chats and brandished them rather carelessly before the whole Americans and the world. Though one could agree that it was rather a rugged path for her good cause as the race to the White House is a competition, but what she was really doing was leverage on the principle of divide and rule. She painted Trump as a hater, the worst kind that deserved the hate of all Americans and she almost succeeded. Hate was her plan all along and because she had more media presence that hate is yet to dissolve with the elections.
Trump campaign organisation rather had #wikileaks to thank for data gathering on Hilary, they had already started almost a two years war of facts and figures against her long before the elections. Ranging from reason for the war in Iraq, the distorted figures of casualties of soldiers, huge financial losses during the war and the real purpose for both the death of Sadaam Hussein and Gadaffi which had lead to violent state uprising in the respective country. Leaked files from her personal mail server came as a early bonus for the Trump organisation.
Also, thirty years of Hilary public service records was available to the Republican nominee without having to spend much digging about her. No matter how you look at it you will also know that being a public servant cast a certain restrain on publicly airing your opinion freely (you mask your words and actions) -that is what political correctness is about isn't it? A privilege Donald Trump could not afford, what you see is what you get. It could be said that Trump is one of the presidents elected to office after an exhaustive judgement of Americans on his acts, character and person.
It is perhaps safe to admit that the fire of hate was fanned by the campaign organisation of Hilary to an uncontrollable propensity.
It may be a valid argument that, whose motivation of hate surpasses the other holds no water. That may be true. However, the US pre and post election violence can best be understood if we cast the lens not on individual acts of supporters (the factor of free will a valid reason) but as a group (of persons). That may be a seeming explanation of the truth that though the elections are over, protesters are seen for the first time in the history of USA to demonstrate not just their grievances but anger in such a way that California is weighing the idea of pulling out of the USA using the "unfavourable" election result as its sole purpose. Californians on social media even invented the #Calxit to drive the point home.
My theory is actually simple or rather complex depending on which side of the fence you are, it is based on three undeniably but interesting facts which are so glaring I won't bother to cite sources:
One, Hilary Clinton raised more money to run her campaign than President elect Donald Trump. She had more and highly paid staff than Trump. It was noised a while ago that our president was a generous donor of 500 million dollars (in the biting economic recession) to the Democrats purse. Either true or false, it is a reasonable calculus for the President of Nigeria to support the cause of the democrats since they strengthened his spine with all kinds of support to seeing him elected as the President. Obama personally endorsed him and Hilary declared his opponent (a sitting president) in the presidential race as "The most corrupt President in the history of Nigeria." The point is she had more resources to carry out all kinds of propaganda and guerrilla tactics against her opponent.
Two, is that Hilary Clinton ran more Ads than Donald Trump which is un-accidentally the bounty of a purse grown out of a largesse. Implying that she could reach more of her supporters and sway more people. Hilary owned the media in a way a rapper "Kills it" to the outrage of Trump who accused the media of bias both on reportage and distorted views about him.
The interesting underlying point is that the polity was charged up because of the overwhelming influence of Hilary's projection of Trump via the media, it did so much damage to the sanity of American minds. Hilary placed more value on her victory than the aftermath of the election. It also cast an illusion not just on Americans but the whole world that she will definitely win the election. An illusion so strong it became a double edged sword to the disadvantage of the democrats.
This is perhaps an infallible proof why protesters can hardly accept the reality that Trump just won the election, even when Hilary had conceded to what she called a "Painful defeat hard to accept and one that would require time to heal."
The media is pivotal as a rationale behind the violence. If you are skeptical, do a review of the situation of Nigerians before the elections. Everywhere was tense, the atmosphere charged beyond limits because of constant rumours that found its way to the media almost every week through the then opposition party. We all knew that a Pdp win would surely plunge the country into a civil war, one we may never recover from. It took the President Goodluck Jonathan to concede defeat while the votes where being counted to stump out the tension. What a relief that was.
A friend confided in me that he voted the Apc not so much because of affiliation but phobia of war if the Apc lost. That is history which any discerning mind might use to interpret the present USA. It is importantly so because every war is won or lost in the mind, but rather unfortunate that 21st century media supplies the mind its arsenal for the war.
When the media can be bought or swayed the minds subject to it are neither safe or sane, then the battle is no longer won by the mind but the media, seeing the media controls the mind and not the reverse. What a tragedy.
Three, Hilary had more allies than Trump. Allies who were obviously sad about Hilary's loss if you place their body language and speech merely on scrutiny loosely. I can mention three of those allies readily, king Salman of Saudi Arabia, President Hollande of France and Chancellor Markel of Germany. The greatest of the duo being the Ruler of Saudi for obvious reasons I would rather not discuss, except by pointing to the Arab-American community who are rather weary of Trump's brazen approach to curb terrorism and radical Islam both of which are Siamese twins. Of course Trump had allies as well, one being the infamous Putin who gave only moral support to Trump and was quite elated about a change of government which he ideologically interpret would lead to a change of policies and probably a bonus of sanctions lifting to say the least. Lot of pro Hilary allies gave a false sense around the world that Hilary was the world's endorsement for Americans which was rather false.
When you examine all three factors you'll understand at least a bit of the cause and effect syndrome leading towards the current unrest in the USA -our famous Laureate even threatened to rip off his green card if Trump ever won as it now stands, what a tragedy, a self incited tommy upset at another nation's democratic will which has prompted him to join the bandwagon of hashtags users by inventing #wolexit.
Finally, this long literary 'verb' shall soon stop. The media is the medium and the message and it had played out before our eyes, that the freedom enjoyed decades ago by the media may now erupt into a concentration camp that entrap and enslaves depending on the Furhrer in charge. The hate had begun and will continue and the answers cannot be found in any psychological institution, assessment or theory but as it had been, in the Holy Words of God.
"And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and HATEFUL bird." Revelation 18:2
Both in Nigeria and without, anywhere hate is advanced and projected by any kind of means through an international or national political party know is it Babylon's systemic cruise, its waves seeking to outlive its boundaries, but to the discerning we know that It will not only crash but crumble yet once again.
It is undeniably true that Christians are having a rather hard time in identifying who deserves their vote, a candidate who will act in a capacity that will not infringe on their beliefs and as well deliver on promises. It is only a pointer to us that the kingdoms of this world are still imperfect but we seek one that is perfect which will come in His time. But whenever we are confused about who to cast our vote for, look to the direction the hate is erupting from judging not from the spews of the media but from your spirit. That's how you know the camp Babylon pitched its tent with.
On a lighter note, if you are rather discombobulated or grieved at this essay, please see it as my thoughts, am think out loud just simply move on.
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