The men and women who gathered to march last Saturday were doing more than protesting Trump. People gathered to send messages to all elected leaders that not only women, but minorities as well, need their rights protected.
But if you asked the majority of the participants in these marches why they were there, they probably would have answered "We are marching to protest Trump." Indeed, even in London, people carried signs that read "Dump Trump" or "No to racism, no to Trump."
Trump's "toxic masculinity" has angered men and women. His racist statements and bigotry have emboldened those who think like him. Trump's threat to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, his threat to register all American Muslims - all this can only increase discrimination and hatred in the U.S. And it is this that has left America reeling.
But is there any purpose to these marches? If enough people turn out will the American system collapse, will the president be recalled and will new elections be held?
No. Absolutely not. These marches cannot "undo" the election.
Then what are their purpose? Certainly such marches are cathartic for the Democrats and their supporters. Perhaps the "losers" need to vent and rant and feel that their voices have been heard.
But such a large march is more than venting; so many protests are more than just "getting our voices heard." It should not be forgotten that Clinton herself told her supporters that "We owe Trump an open mind and a chance to lead." Former President Barack Obama said, "We are not Democrats first. We are not Republicans first. We are Americans first...We all want what is best for this country."
This is not the first time that there have been protests and small pockets of unrest after an election in the United States. After Obama was elected in 2008 effigies of Obama was lynched and set fire to - a horrific action, with a very sinister undertone.
At the same time, back in the present, there have been reports that pro-Trump supporters carried out attacks against Muslims, Latinos, blacks and other minorities. "Make America Great Again" is being spray painted next to swastikas. All very scary stuff.
That there are demonstrations after an election seems to have become the norm. That people are protesting against statements and attitudes they find wrong or immoral is normal. It is the American way.
While protesting against what Trump stands for is something that we all support, protesting the actual election of the man after he has been inaugurated seems terribly futile. But even more importantly, it is divisive. The United States is quickly falling into two camps. In general, the left-wing stands with the minorities, while the right-wing stands with the working class. Yet, there are many places where the minorities and the working-class merge. Such a divisive atmosphere can only harm the United States; if the people are unable to come together, as both Obama and Clinton have asked them to, the situation could get even uglier.
There are many worrying trends appearing in the U.S. today. Bigoted racism, misogynist statements, people angered and disillusioned by the democratic process, to name a few.
One of these trends appeared at the beginning of last century, or rather with the birth of Hollywood, is political endorsement by celebrities. President Warren G. Harding is cited as having the first campaign that enjoyed endorsement from celebrities. The election, in 1920, coincided with the early years of the film industry. Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and Al Jolson are among the famous film stars that backed the candidate. They and other celebrities even sang a song - "Harding, You're the Man for Us," while the baseball team, the Chicago Cubs, held an exhibition game in support of the candidate. Harding was elected. And he soon went down in history as one of the worst, if not the worst president in the history of the United States.
John F. Kennedy made liberal use of the Rat Pack, which included Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. This glamorous life style rubbed off on the president, and helped to make him incredibly popular with the people.
But there does seem to be an imbalance. Since Kennedy, it is the Democrats who get the "A" list of celebrities. One need only examine Clinton's campaign to understand this. She had around 800 celebrities who backed her. Trump had a much shorter list of celebrities, and they aren't quite so celebrated. Hulk Hogan, Tom Brady, Scott Baio....these are not household names today. Not like Meryl Streep, LeBron James or Oprah Winfrey.
So what? Celebrities don't guarantee being elected to the White House. If they did, the Republicans would never win. And win they do. Having 800 celebrities did not help Clinton secure the White House. So what's all the fuss about?
What is worrying is more the role the celebrities are playing after the elections. Standing up and saying "Not my President," participating in marches against the president - these are not roles that celebrities should take on. But surely, you say, celebrities are allowed to express their personal opinions, and should stand up for what is right and condemn that which is negative.
First of all celebrities are celebrities because they are public figures. And like it or not, they have influence. And celebrities are very aware of this influence. Some sociologists have compared modern day celebrities to Greek or Roman gods, who had incredibly dramatic lives. We encounter celebrities (usually) in a dark movie theater, up on a screen, where they truly larger than life. It has been said that celebrity has embedded itself into our daily life and has become a guide as to not only who we are, but how we should live. Thus, being a celebrity carries a serious responsibility.
And yet, these very celebrities seem to be ganging up against the newly elected president in a very aggressive way. Their speeches against him, whether justified or not, chip away at his legitimacy. Such criticisms, even if we can understand the justification, are dangerous, as they are divisive and can lead to greater polarization.
The reality is that America seems to be on the edge of a precipice. The over-dramatization of the Democratic defeat and the triumph of Trump seems to be pushing this country towards greater polarization and greater internal strife.
In fact, if one takes a look at America and Americans, most Americans are not interested in fringe groups, either to the right or the left. This is one important way that America differs from Europe. Radicalism, except for the lone wolf phenomenon, is very hard to find in America. True, there are people in certain areas who hold ideas that are diametrically opposed to people living in other areas. But to date, the system has worked to make sure that realistic, conventional proposals are the ones that are passed into law. Trump will not be able to introduce laws that turn America into an apartheid, fascist state. Congress is there to ensure this doesn't happen. If Congress fails, then there is the Supreme Court. Trump cannot just sit on a throne and promulgate laws. The checks and balances that are in place, much like the checks and balances that are being proposed in Turkey for the new constitution, ensure that whoever comes to power can only introduce laws within a limited framework and only for a certain limited amount of time.
What people, both celebrities and normal everyday people, should be doing now is pulling together. Protest, if your protest is to put the spotlight on racist, bigoted, sexist behavior, and to say "This is not America" or "This is not what we should be doing." Protests that target specific individuals are damaging and pointless. What people, both celebrities and normal everyday people, should be doing is getting ready to cry out when they see something unacceptable. They should be ready, pen in hand, to write to their congressmen. Or they can participate in party politics to make sure the unacceptable does not become the norm.
After the last election, it became clear that the defeated left, that is, the Democrats, do not have the backing of the working class. Liberal, politically correct thinking is all very well if you are well fed and housed. The Left, along with their celebrities, needs to court the working class again, to gain their trust. Standing at a podium and criticizing the elected President of the United States not only will not solve the problems of those who are looking for jobs, homes or good medical care. It will lead to further polarization and push America closer to the precipice.
