Yes, My President: Because Reality Trumps Delusion
By Oshra Bitton (Opinion)
Like more than half of the American population who participated in the 2016 Presidential election, I resided in the “never Trump,” Drumpf-is-his-real-name camp. I cast my ballot for the first time ever this past election cycle, hoping that it might prevent the man–who I believed lacked the kind of temperament, government experience, and vocabulary one might expect from a Presidential candidate–from winning. And then the November 9th sun rose. It bitch-slapped, popped, and ridiculed my progressive bubble. I awoke with jittery tears. I felt terrified. But Trump’s election victory represents only a fraction of the biggest story here. It belongs to the larger theme of a media and public approach that will unwittingly keep him in the White House.
In the weeks and months since, I’ve reflected more deeply on the ugly campaign season, the plethora of opinion pieces that flooded my Facebook timeline, and the political debates that nearly caused sibling strife in my family’s WhatsApp group. I allowed it to marinate. And then, I realized that much of my Trump-related worrying resulted from external, manufactured outrage.
Legitimate concerns surround the new President, no doubt. But I see no benefit in engaging in a constant state of hysteria in response to everything that Trump says, does, or tweets. Why? Because the source of perpetual outrage does not originate in individual thought. It arises from a ‘group-think’ mentality. The talking points have already been typed up. The stage of dissenting political viewpoints has been set. And fixed narratives remain cemented in place for the public to ingest. But I wonder, ‘who arranged it this way?’ and ‘why?’
Following an action by the President and/or his administration, instantaneous reactions follow: thickly-critical or naively praiseful. But how can I, or anyone understand most of the facts and viewpoints of a single issue, take a stand on either side and boldly defend that position so quickly? I can’t unless my job description includes “researcher of current events with a background in American Political History.” Left unexplored, the middle ground begins to fade. And the influx of news updates at every hour actually hinders our ability to get to what’s real and true. In excess, the body of constant information loses its informative qualities and turns into noise.
Here’s an indisputable fact, though: Donald Trump fills the Presidential slot and remains there regardless of protesters who reject him entirely. So forget the “resist” movement and first adjust the noise. Declarations such as, “Love Trumps Hate” or “No Fascist U.S.A” may look great on picket signs but do little to create constructive change. The way forward requires a more balanced approach–an acceptance of reality as it exists and a pursuit of realistic, clearly outlined policy-specific goals. Otherwise, America can look forward to watching Trump march ahead of Melania again in 2020.
