Guest Editorial by Samara
The fact that the Clinton Machine has been slain by none other than Donald Trump is nothing short of remarkable. Donald Trump was written off as a joke of a candidate,including by myself in the initial stages of the election. Opponent after opponent, primary after primary, Donald Trump was revealed to be an unstoppable juggernaut of a large segment of the United States, becoming increasingly neglected somewhere between the time after Clinton opened up the trade agreements with NAFTA and the Chinese trade agreement, CAFTA under Bush and with the looming issue of TPP trying to be salvaged by a last minute field-goal attempt by Obama. Even after the election shifted into a general election pace, Trump continued to push forward despite what normally would have killed any other candidates. Perhaps there is a new challenger for the title of “Teflon Don”.
In addition to issues of trade, many Americans are deeply concerned about the growing influence of the finance sector in American Politics, with the notable yuppies of the Reagan Era, repeal of Glass-Stegall repeal under Clinton and the run up of the housing bubble which banks were propped up on under both Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush. Even with “significant reforms” such as Dodd-Frank, Obama was increasingly close to finance and banking, with recent Wikileaks revelations documenting that someone from Citibank was advising Barack Obama on his cabinet picks prior to Obama becoming President-Elect.
These two factors in part, made Hillary Clinton a vulnerable candidate in 2016 in addition to issues of perceived corruption and trustworthiness. Many people were unsure what Clinton truly thought after the disclosure of her speech transcripts she made to several banking institutions. Issues of criminal activity dogged her for a significant period of time with FBI Director James Comey clearing her in July only to re-open the investigation a little over a week before the election, despite “reaching” the same conclusion last summer. Given these factors and Donald Trump calling on the neglected “deplorables” outside the corridors of “acceptable” America by many in the establishment; Hillary Clinton was,in hindsight, a terrible selection given the margin in which Trump won in the electoral college (though the popular vote remains to be seen officially).
What also drove the hope of Clinton becoming president was that she would be able to effectively usher in needed social change from a position well within the establishment, that would put many of the goals of the “Social Justice” movement on the path to be advocated by the establishment. This was in doubt, but less so than her perceived issues on economics. Wikileaks emails describe that Clinton personally opposed to Gay Marriage even still, leaving some to believe that she only changed her position in order to accommodate a growing base inside the Democratic Party.
Given these vulnerabilities and systemic issues in the electorate, Bernie Sanders was an unforeseen, serious impediment to what was intended to be a Clinton coronation by the Democratic Establishment. It was when Bernie stared to show the inherent vulnerability of Clinton in the 2016 election, that the DNC started to put the finger on the scale of the Democratic Primaries, if not outright rig the primaries. Sanders was the ideal candidate for the growing segment of non-establishment but crucial voting bloc needed for continued dominance of left-wing politics. Because Bernie Sanders is an Independent Senator from Vermont, he could buck the power structure of the Democrats and not be forced to compromise on issues many on the left felt the Democrats were caving to corporate pressure on.
Given the disclosure of Bernie Sanders unfair treatment in the primary, many of the Bernie Sanders supporters refused to support Hillary Clinton, either voting 3rd party, Trump as a protest vote or just staying home.
With the failure of what was perceived by the “most electable” candidate against such a “brute” embodied in Trump, the candidate that the establishment forces went all-in for by means of favorable reporting, constant pushing of polls that were constantly showing Clinton having a commanding lead only to have the vast majority of pollsters be demolished on election night, and a compliant media ready to focus on even the slightest of gaffes, it leaves many on The Left fearful and wondering: Why even bother with trying to work within the establishment system?
Fear is a legitimate and healthy emotion for an honest danger. What remains to be see is if the fear will pan out. Grace and mercy is an important feature of the Trump victory and it is crucial that in the days to come, Trump supporters show this even when challenged by Trump detractors. America is entering a period in which great cultural strife is coming and America is not alone. Western Europe is starting to have doubts as to its trajectory with regards to immigration and different, possibly culturally opposed, people occupying the same areas as traditional Western populations. Should The Left’s fears about the rise to power of modern-day fascists pan out, tensions will escalate with many of the Social Justice movement giving into their fears and reacting in what they would believe as “defense of their way of life”, and possibly seeking to displace, possibly violently, the power structure which they believe actively oppress them as a means to achieve “Justice”. Whether they do this by seizing control of the government itself and attempting to disarm groups they perceive as a threat, or even an insurgency targeting the way of life of others remains to be seen.
While I doubt there will be one leader of the group, I would imagine that they would be molded in the form of Bane from The Dark Knight Rises movie. Bane’s Speech regarding the people taking back Gotham can be seen below.
We take Gotham from the corrupt! The rich! The oppressors of generations who have kept you down with myths of opportunity, and we give it back to you… the people. Gotham is yours. None shall interfere. Do as you please. Start by storming Blackgate, and freeing the oppressed! Step forward those who would serve. For and army will be raised. The powerful will be ripped from their decadent nests, and cast out into the cold world that we know and endure. Courts will be convened. Spoils will be enjoyed. Blood will be shed. The police will survive, as they learn to serve true justice. This great city… it will endure. Gotham will survive!
Perhaps The Left is waiting for their version of Donald Trump,not simply from a policy position perspective, but one that has the “fortitude” to stand for their convictions and seek to chip away at what they perceive as systemic injustice and re-organize society into a “fairer, progressive system”, even if it means actively and aggressively using force to deconstruct and dismantle institutions of “privilege”.
The only answer to heading-off this movement before it grows out of control is to understand its foundations and counter it with the only known force that is more powerful than any anger, hatred and grievances: Love. Perfect Love was only demonstrated by one entity in the entire course of human history that has passed and is coming. The one who embodied it is named Jesus of Nazareth. With his death and resurrection as the down-payment and vanguard for God’s will to be established on earth, a different kind of revolution of sorts was to be kicked of, one in which it challenges power structures to their core but also reconciles different groups of people to each other and most importantly, Humanity unto God. The Kingdom of God is not just simply the afterlife, but the earth “made right”, to be remade for all eternity, a life after “afterlife”.
The Kingdom of God as understood by prominent scholars such as N.T. Wright wasn’t simply ephemeral, it was intended to make real changes to the way in which individuals interacted with each other, but details shall be reserved for my next piece
