Happy Healthy YOU
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Kelly Spencer - Happy Healthy YOU
(A wellness column by Kelly Spencer: writer, life coach, yoga & meditation teacher, holistic healer and a mindful life enthusiast!)
The political platform often compares to a dating website where the potential suitor sells whatever word or perception necessary to get lucky. I believe their general standpoint is evident but most likely it’s an overstated, embellished promise of what is.
In 2007, the White Stripes released an album with one of my favorite songs, Icky Thump. When interviewed by Rolling Stones Magazine, band member Jack White said, “It's actually said 'ecky thump... a Northern English phrase meaning, 'What the heck?'"
As a Canadian liberal-minded woman who typically doesn’t spend too much time following politics in other countries, the current American political platform has me captivated and consumed. The deeper I delve into Donald Trump’s history and campaign the more I find myself losing sleep with the possibility of him being the next American President. I can’t help but wonder how this will affect Canada and furthermore the world?
I am not going to pretend I’m politically fluent but I have to think being a nation’s leader embraces a high quality of character, beliefs and ethics as they navigate world issues and collaborate with world leaders. History has witnessed leaders that lack the high standard aforementioned qualities which equated to devastation and destruction worldwide. I am concerned.
Trump’s platform seems like a profile on a raunchy dating network: telling you how wonderful he is in bed and how lucky you will be to get with him. His claims to make the world great are cloaked by antagonistic past and present behaviors leaving me fearfully questioning, what if he wins?
Trump proclaims having great relationships with “the blacks.” Who even says that? His actions provide truthful perception and a long history of racial denunciation.
In 1973 the Justice Department filed one of the biggest federal housing discrimination law suits against Trump’s real estate company for refusing rental to black people. In the 80s, Trump took out full-page newspaper ads calling for the death penalty for five black and Hispanic youths, that were being accused of brutally attacking a white woman in Central Park. Fortunately, there was no death penalty as the youths were later exonerated by DNA evidence and there was a wrongful conviction settlement. In 1991, a book published by John R. O’Donnell, ex-president of Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, describes Donald Trump as racist, quoting him with many bigoted remarks about black people. Trump later told Playboy Magazine in 1997 that "The stuff O’Donnell wrote about me is probably true.”
What the heck?
Trump recently stated he doesn’t know anything about white supremacist groups. Ironically, in 1927, Donald’s father, German-descended Fred Trump was detained and released at a KKK brawl. During his campaign, Trump has tweeted photos with Nazi soldiers depicted and has quoted Fascist leaders. The white supremacist love him including David Duke, former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. Duke claims on his radio station and twitter “voting against Donald Trump at this point is really treason to your heritage." In a 1990 Vanity Fair interview with Trumps ex-wife, Ivana Trump reported that her husband reads a book of Hitler’s speeches. As well in the same article, the first Mrs. Trump told a friend that her husband's cousin, John Walter "clicks his heels and says, 'Heil Hitler’” when visiting Trump's office.
Ecky thump?
His rallies are fear-promoting. Violent attacks are delivered by him or his supporters on anyone disagreeing with the almighty Trump viewpoint. Supporters engage in acts of brutality against protesters calling them racist names, kicking, pushing, spitting, beating them up, calling out Nazi chants and curdling rants of burning them alive. Trump calls his supporters “passionate.”
I wonder, in the rise of German Fascism, did anyone imagine how bad it would get for the world?
Trump has insulted the Mexican community with his announcement of the great wall he will build to keep out the Mexican rapists and drug dealers. There are now two Mexican presidents comparing him to Hitler. He insulted the Jewish community with stereotypical derogatory comments while speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalition in December. Of course, we can’t forget that he has claimed war on the over 1.6 billion Muslims of the world despite only 1-2 per cent of Muslims being terrorist and Global Research Centre reporting that 90 per cent of all terrorist attacks in the USA were non-Muslims. Hate crimes in the US since Trump’s candidacy-banter has increased dramatically. Is this violence indicative of what is to come? With our borders side by side, will Canada be affected?
The dangers of comparative actions have been substantiated in past leaders, destroying many lives.
He has offended physically disabled people, mocking Serge Kovaleski, a reporter with a musculoskeletal disorder who interviewed Trump several times. Trump was upset that Kovaleski denied reporting and disagreed with Trump’s untrue claim that thousands of Muslims celebrated in the streets of New Jersey during 911 attacks.
Never mind his creepy reference to dating his beautiful daughter if only she wasn’t his daughter, Trump’s first wife stated in deposition (and later reworded) that her husband was violent, abusive, raped her, and pulled out handfuls of her hair. Oppressively, Trump reduces women to objects he possesses or pawns to be played. In 1991, in an interview with Esquire magazine, he said, “You know, it doesn't really matter what (the media) write as long as you've got a young and beautiful piece of..."
Europe doesn’t like him. He doesn’t like China. The United Kingdom had a petition to ban him. Mexico City legislators have asked to prohibit him from their country. Many people around world, including Canadians are worried what his victory will mean to us.
Trump seems to be a clear danger to democracy, diplomacy and to anyone he engages in relations with, so why are there still people signing up to date this man and entrust him with their lives and their children’s lives?
Imagine for a moment that the Presidential campaign had their own “compatibility matching” dating website. On Trump’s hypothetical profile, he would include the standard photo-shopped photos which make him more attractive than he is. This of course includes a picture of his hands with a subtitle with reference to his manhood. He lists all the reason why he is so great and wonderful and why he would be a great match for you. He can’t validate or qualify his promises but offers them with a believable confidence. Over to the right of the web page is a rating column. In this rating portion, past relations with him provide testimonials and description, such as racists, sexist, xenophobe, islamophobia, narcissistic, manic, crazy, unqualified, abuser, bully, con-artist, scammer, hater, Nazi and the list goes on.
Why are people allowing bombast promises outweigh the plethora of contrary and undesirable testimony?
I would love to agree with President Obama and his belief and faith that the American people will elect a qualified leader and not this erratic manic-tweeting, ex-reality TV star and real-estate bully. In the meantime, with Google searches “how to move to Canada” from Americans, being up 350 per cent I have to wonder if the citizens in the US have the same faith and belief in the process?
Time will tell but until then this northern neighbor mutters “what the heck?” each and every time the US Presidential news coverage is witnessed. For the safety of Canada and for us all, I pray that union, harmony and love will trump this icky thump.
Lyrics from Icky Thump by White Stripes:
White Americans, what?
Nothing better to do?
Why don't you kick yourself out?
You're an immigrant too?
Who's usin' who?
What should we do?
Well you can't be a pimp
And a prostitute too.
(If you would like to see an article on a specific topic, please email kelly@indigolounge.ca)