On Jan. 6, 2021, supporters of defeated candidate, former President Donald Trump, stormed the United States Capitol, disrupting the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Now, four years later, America re-elected the same candidate who harbored the chaos, and now a convicted felon.
Growing up, we often heard the phrase “The American Dream.” From Western shows to sparkling fireworks, from the famous star-spangled banner to waking up to “Party in the USA,” we witnessed how this nation was celebrated and admired globally, especially here in the Philippines.
There is no doubt that the United States of America (USA) was widely known as a progressive country, with ideals reflected in policies that ensured liberty for its citizens. These included full marriage equality in 2015 when same-sex marriage was made legal; reproductive rights that ensured individuals could decide on their own reproductive health; and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which guaranteed equal voting rights for all citizens, regardless of race, among many others.
For the longest time, the USA lived up to its reputation as the “Land of Opportunity.” As of 2022, there were 4.1 million Filipinos living in America. Even I, as a queer kid, had dreams of working, living, and marrying in that country, hoping to escape the disappointing realities of my own.
Now, at 20 years old, still watching America from afar has watched how the country I once admired spiral downhill.
That is all thanks to President Trump’s term from 2017-2020 where he systematically dismantled the liberties built by those who came before him. What was once a country admired by many has now regressed into a problematic one.
In just four years, not only did Trump manage to downplay the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to 111,820,082 cases and 1.2 million deaths, but he also made the infamous statement, “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.” The consequences of Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement in his last term are now being felt, particularly in the recent devastating Los Angeles wildfires that left many citizens homeless.
His treatment of migrants and refugees, particularly the construction of the border wall to prevent illegal immigration, drew harsh yet well-deserved criticism. The racially targeted murder of George Floyd also sparked a global uprising led by the Black Lives Matter Movement, shedding light on ongoing racial injustice. Yet, instead of addressing these systemic issues, he focused on shutting down protests surrounding Floyd’s death, even going so far as to vow to “dominate” the protests.
Additionally, his attacks on the media and press freedom by discrediting news outlets and calling them “fake news” became a regular occurrence which broadened the gap in the public’s trust in journalism. Throughout these disastrous events, he was often either absent or, in many cases, the orchestrator of the chaos.
However, let us not only focus on the negatives. We must also recognize some of his notable achievements. Trump was the second celebrity-turned-president who won the 2016 elections, but the first to do so without any prior political background, military experience, or held any public office.
He was also the first U.S. president to be indicted. Another milestone was his impeachment; Trump was impeached twice, the most for any president. Recently, as he assumed office again, he will be the first “convicted felon” president.
“This is America”
The impact of Trump has left the country in turmoil. Racism became more pronounced, now paired with xenophobia. His harsh policies on immigration have disproportionately affected many, including Filipinos.
The overturning of the landmark case of Roe v. Wade has restricted reproductive rights in many states. The endangerment of the LGBTQIA+ community became more pronounced as he assumed office. The situation will only get worse than what he had left it.
America was once a trailblazer of liberty, freedom, and hope, and remains one of the most influential countries globally. However, the country’s influence heavily relies on the leader steering the nation.
“Tatsulok”
In an interview with The Benildean, Sheila Sabalburo, an educator in the School of Diplomacy and Governance (SDG) at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), mentioned how Trump’s prominence and eventual victory created a domino effect, perhaps even leading to the rise of former President Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines.
“Trump's rise to power has also been reflective of other tumultuous events happening around the world at that time. We saw Britain leaving the European Union. In the Philippines, we saw the coming into power of another popular and provocative President Duterte,” she emphasized.
This depicts how the leader elected in the U.S. can affect global politics, influencing the decisions of voters in other countries, the Philippines included. As such, the whole world is—and should be—watching.
In the 2025 Midterm elections, we are set to choose leaders who will not only represent our nation but will navigate us into a better one. Will we continue falling for the same mistakes we made in countries like the United States? Or will we attempt to break the cycle of abuse, incompetency, and hypocrisy? The decision is up to us.
“I hope that the youth will put into good use the tremendous power they hold, especially this coming election. With the barrage of information available right at our fingertips, may our youth be discerning which one speaks the truth,” she added.
“I believe that you can use your online and offline influence to inspire others to action in choosing and voting for the candidates that can truly represent the people,” Ms. Sabalburo emphasized.
As with most dreams, there comes a moment when a seemingly harmless scene turns into a haunting nightmare. In these nightmares, we are cornered, forced to watch and experience fear and torment. But the morning after, we open our eyes and find comfort in knowing it was all just figures of our imagination.
This is no different from the American Dream or the dream of a better Philippines. Now faced with terrors and dreadful realities, we have the option to open our eyes and wake up.
What we do next will determine how well we can sleep at night.
