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The last king of America was bonkers too
Kootenay Crust – By Ian Cobb
Op-Ed Commentary
The last time America was ruled by a king, he was bonkers.
The Royal Brute of Great Britain, King George III, was the dude forever referred to by patriotic Americans as the symbol of national oppression. His government’s unfair taxes (tea etc.) on the original 13 colonies incited an eventual revolution that led to the establishment of the United States of America. Blah blah yada yada endless ‘freedom forever’ blather over the past 249 years later, America’s current president wants to be king!
What’s that now? Yeah, Donald Trump, fancies himself becoming King of America, with some territorial conquests under his belt, like his pal, mentor and handler Vladimir (The Shover) Putin.
Just think about it, as Canadians we live in a time when our closest friend and ally America has a president who openly covets our nation. Trump has graduated from grabbing pussies because he’s famous to trying to grab nations as a second term president who clearly will not relinquish power in four years, or should a likely 25th Amendment challenge take place.
The Jan. 6, 2021 attempt at insurrection was the rehearsal for what is to come. By the time Trump and his Bond villain sidekick Elon Musk are finished eviscerating the American government and rending its population apart through control of media and social media, there won’t be a system to embrace the notion of ‘peaceful transfer of power.’
Despite being a compulsive liar, Trump often tells the truth and it always concerns how he’s going to crap all over what Americans or others in the world proclaim to hold dear. For example, the US just voted with the world’s current list of nation assholes (Russia, North Korea, Iran etc.) to oppose a UN resolution condemning Putin for invading Ukraine and supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty. Then America, the former international good guy, if Hollywood is to be believed, drafted and voted for a resolution at the UN Security Council calling for an end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but contained no criticism of Russia. Wonder why eh?
Trump even suggested Ukraine cough up half its territory, after he declared the besieged nation started the bloody war.
Trump and Putin fancy themselves modern world dividers, in a way only raging narcissist sociopaths could dream it up.
Almost 250 years after shedding the yoke of British Imperialism, America teeters on the precipice of losing that what has made it special – its independent spirit. Bizarrely, ‘King Donald’ would be the first ‘monarch’ to rule over the peons and minions of America since another batshit asshole, George III.
Trump is commonly compared to Hitler and his fanboy followers are compared to the zealots who carried him along. However, there is no clear comparison.
Germany was torn to shreds and suffering horribly from reparations following the First World War. Its citizens had much to be angry about and Hitler bore into that anger and through prolonged manipulation and repetition of hateful messages and the creation of divisions in society, was able to rile up enough Germans to take the many steps he took toward the Second World War.
It was a case of what Voltaire said: “Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”
Hitler was average stock; not born into wealth. Trump is nothing like Hitler and America is nothing like Nazi Germany (yet). What do Americans really have to be so angry about? Are they starving? Is their economy crippled from impossible debt payments? Did they lose a horrible war 20 years ago? No, no and nope.
The likes of Trump and his followers claim America is the greatest nation in the history of nations and then turn around and scream everything is broken and it’s always someone else’s fault. It’s of course all political manipulation and complete bull sausages, but here we are and there they go!
And here stands Canada, a nation unprepared for the possible fight it may face. Liberals and Conservatives are to blame because they’ve each had their shots at propping Canada up in case our American cousins lose their shit. For example, provincial trade barriers should have been torn to shreds last week! Get ‘er done Ottawa!
It’s been heartening to see Canadians rise up the last few weeks, and equally heartening to see the support we’ve received from many Americans who are ashamed of their president and nation. The Four Nations Cup final was, I believe, the most important sports victory in our nation’s history since the 1972 Summit Series. We needed that!
It reminded all of us, left, centre and right, what we share and that is this country we love and stand for. Here’s hoping the upcoming federal election does not devolve into name calling and hateful rhetoric ala USA. It can be done. Those seeking are votes must adhere to adulthood, professional decorum and respect. Anything less is a damning stain on character and should be rebuffed by voters.
We Canadian must remain vigilant and continue to stand together because a threat is growing daily. Uncertainty will harm our economy, as it will the US economy.
The next four years will be a long ride to the brim of the 22nd Amendment of the US Constitution—the one that limits presidents to two terms. There is a clear and present danger to that not happening in four years and it looks to me, based on all that’s been said and done during Trump’s first six chaotic weeks in power, that real American heroes need to start stepping up.
An American president is sucking up to a Russian dictator (among others). Reagan would puke. John Wayne would start slugging faces.
A society that worships superhero movies and comics sure is currently devoid of simple political heroes, let alone John Wayne types. How sad. How gutless America has become, despite all its chest-puffed huffery. It’s the only thing that explains Trump’s return to power. The Republican Party – the GOP – is a bastion of lunatics, morons, assholes, and worst of all, cowards. That could also describe the Democrats but they’re at least not cowards, bullied into submission by a leader.
George Orwell described America 2025 perfectly in 1984. “There will be no loyalty, except loyalty toward the Party. There will be no love, except the love of Big Brother. There will be no laughter, except the laugh of triumph over a defeated enemy. Always, at every moment, there will be the thrill of victory, the sensation of trampling on an enemy who is helpless. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever.”
These cowardly Republican wincers’ actions were also neatly described more than 1,300 years ago by Aristotle: “A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-fearing and pious. On the other hand, they do less easily move against him, believing that he has the gods on his side.”
And Democrats? They are lost in incredulity while tripping over Utopian principles draped over out-of-touch social fabrics. Such things are also creating divide in Canada and being balanced as badly as in the USA.
Now is the time for courage of conviction and doing what is right because the alternative will be the end of democracy and a world order that embraces peace and freedom and opportunity for all. Look at Putin. Look what he has done. Now look at Trump and ponder the next four years.
They have risen and are rising because of apathy, greed and cowardice. What can be done now?
As Martin Luther King Jr. stated: “Cowardice asks the question – is it safe? Expediency asks the question – is it politic? Vanity asks the question – is it popular? But conscience asks the question – is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular; but one must take it because it is right.”
– Ian Cobb is owner/editor of e-KNOW
