The Remaking of America!

Or is it the real McCoy? What am I talking about? The reaction of Senate Republicans to the nomination of the first Black Woman to be a Justice of the Supreme Court; the January 6 Insurrection, really an attempted political coup; the banning of books in libraries and some classrooms in states like Florida; putting restrictions on the right of people to vote, even to provide them with water if they get to wait in long lines to vote. Then there is the redrawing of congressional districts and restrictions on drop boxes, making it difficult for some candidates to win elections. Much of this is clothed in political garb but they really reflect the nature of the society.

     The naked racism is plain to see. The verbal torture that the Black female nominee, Ketanji Browne Jackson had to go through before  finally securing the position of Justice of the Supreme Court was clear to see. The despicable racist behaviour of senators, Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, and Lindsey Graham. Then who was that female senator that asked her to “define a woman”! What was that all about! How ridiculously absurd! She managed to secure the votes of three Republicans but other members of the Senate, instead of savouring what was an historic moment in American history and life, choose to leave the Hall.

Justice Jackson was touted as one of the most highly qualified of all the Justices, but a bunch of Republican idiots chose to use the occasion to appeal to their political base and racist instincts.

     Given US political history and voting trends it is believed that the Republicans could gain control of both Houses of Congress. They have already declared their intention to block every nomination that President Biden puts forward for any position. Then come 2024 there is the possibility of Trump contesting and becoming president again. I do not see this as a possibility, but all things are possible with the American electorate. When I spoke about the remaking of America, this is what I had in mind. With a President Trump or even a clone, because they are all trying to imitate him by appealing to what is most absurd in American politics, we can see all Republican states putting in place laws to ensure that they would have control over the election process indefinitely! Do not count on the Supreme Court rejecting them! Let us not forget that at the last election, Trump with nothing to support him declared that the elections were stolen. They went about getting fake electors in states to decertify the results and to declare him winner. Trump even asked Georgia after the electoral count to give him a certain number of votes and so declare him winner there. With little to support their grotesque claims they continued to utter them. Putin despite what he is doing in Ukraine remains a hero to many Republicans. All of this gets very bizarre because efforts to appoint an independent commission to investigate the January 6 insurrection to ensure that nothing like that happens again, was opposed  by a majority of Republicans. One of them decried the label insurrection and declared it was like tourists visiting the Congressional halls or something as ridiculous.

     But things get more bizarre with Florida removing books and dictating how topics like racism, sexism and American history are to be taught, or really not to be taught! White students are not to be made to feel guilty! While America continues to preach democracy around the world, one of the biggest threats to democracy is America itself. Then to crown it all the political comedian, Sarah Palin is trying to re-emerge, this time as a senator for Alaska. All of this so amusing, but deadly serious! The fountain of Democracy, eh!

Dr Adrian Fraser is a social commentator and historian