I'm so exhausted. So much has happened in the past few months and being in the midst of senior year and applying for college, I just don't have the energy to unpack that excuse of a debate, but I will. From the start I was raging. I cannot look at 45 with an ounce of respect, and I really don't see how he can stand on that stage as if he earned his place. I was dejected to be honest, watching two old white men battle it out with insults and ignorant remarks. Is this what our country has come to? To a certain extent, this is what our country has always been, and P45 just enhances the worst characteristics of the United States in a way that makes classism, racism, sexism, homophobia, and, simply put, evil impossible to ignore. Joe is no saint, but next to DJT he seems like the most well-spoken, moral and professional candidate we could ask for.
Things I must acknowledge:
Proud Boys, stand by
Attack on Biden Boys
Claims against Mail-in Ballots
Firstly, do I even have to explain? When asked to condemn white supremacy, a violent and racist belief system that most of his followers (and he) subscribe to, DJT stumbled over his words. He was stuck. Rather than simply state that he does not support support white supremacy, the "president" told the Proud Boys, a politically violent and racist hate group, to "stand by" because "ANTIFA needs to be dealt with somehow". My jaw dropped, mouth agape. No way did he just affirm white supremacy on live national television. I chuckled a bit, before realizing that this wasn't a sitcom, or an SNL sketch, but a debate between the two people that have the potential to run our country for the next four years. How do people justify this? He considers far-right violence as something to align with and use for his own gain, while he takes every chance possible to condemn BLM protests and ANTIFA, which simply isn't what he thinks it is.
Secondly, this man knows nothing about anything. He is so uninformed on political policy of his own administration, that he took what little time he had to not discuss what would make him a better candidate, but instead attack Joe Biden's sons, one of who fell victim to cancer years ago, and one who is winning a battle against drug addiction. He accused Biden of setting his son up with a job and income, which most parents would do given the chance, including Trump Sr., who did exactly that giving his son a "small loan' of around $60 million to jumpstart his career.
Lastly, the President of the United States rambled for minutes about how mail-in ballots are corrupt and illegal, despite the fact that they have been used without contest for decades. In an effort to protect his pride in a month, 45 has been pushing this narrative non-stop, doing his part to disorganize and dismantle USPS this summer. I have a question though. As president, if he is so concerned about these ballots, couldn't he do something about it? As arguably one of the most powerful men in the world right now, how is he so powerless when it comes to mail? It's so embarrassing that the idea of losing bothers him enough to make him create an entire narrative as to why and how it could have happened, placing the blame anywhere except on himself.
Okay, now that I've angrily typed this out, I can breathe, and peacefully dread the next Presidential Debate. Who's watching?
