Your Daily Dose of Reality: A Commentary on Ayana Mathis’ Views
Well, well, well. Buckle up, folks, because today we’re diving into Ayana Mathis’ thought-provoking piece that navigates through America’s civil rights achievements since the swinging 60s and 70s, and what could happen if Donald Trump swings back into office like a bad boomerang. Spoiler alert: it’s about as comforting as a cold shower in December.
The Gloomy Clouds Over Berlin
Mathis paints a picture of Berlin, where the weather has taken a dramatic shift—gray and cool, much like the political atmosphere in the U.S. as we hurtle toward another election. Four days until the elections, and honestly, who knew politics was akin to wrestling, with all the mud-slinging and grappling for power? I mean, the last time I felt this tense, I was waiting for my mother’s wardrobe malfunction at the school play!
The Absurdity of a Convicted Felon Running for President
The article takes a dark turn as Mathis warns of the rise of a legally convicted criminal seeking the highest office in the land. That’s like letting a fox guard a henhouse, folks! It speaks volumes about the state of our democracy when the options resemble a poorly written reality show. “Who will get voted off the island today?” I half-expect to see Trump and his ensemble of indicted characters go head-to-head in the next season of Survivor, but instead of immunity idols, they might as well be handing out subpoenas.
The Big F Word: Fascism
Ah, the f-word—no, not that one! Mathis references fascism and Trump in the same breath, igniting a firestorm of discussion hotter than a jalapeño in July. A political scientist recently likened Trump to a fascist, which sounds like one of those “let’s-see-how-far-we-can-push-the-envelope” scenarios. Seriously, at this point, we can all agree on one thing: if democracy were a comedy, we’d all be crying instead of laughing.
The Losing Side of a Winning Equation
Now, let’s talk about the aftermath if Trump loses—Mathis fears it could be a catastrophe that makes January 6 look like a quaint tea party. Picture it: a political landscape more chaotic than a toddler’s birthday party. With so many folks abandoning democratic ideals, we’re left wondering who’s really pulling the strings. It’s like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded while riding a unicycle on a tightrope—risky, difficult, and potentially disastrous!
Optimism, Where Art Thou?
Despite the growing gloom, Mathis glimmers with hope, channeling the spirit of Toni Morrison. She reminds us that despair isn’t an option; artists, writers, and people with a voice must speak up, like a chorus of angels in a political choir. It’s how we heal civilization, one carefully crafted word at a time. Against this backdrop of fear and anxiety, we see the power of the moral imagination. Let’s pray it’s more than just a fancy buzzword; otherwise, we’re all in for a rough ride.
The Resilience of the Human Spirit
Finally, Mathis urges us to find perspective amidst despair. Do we let the dark forces drown us, or do we swim against the current? Remember, every great achievement was once considered impossible until someone decided to try. We might feel like we’re stuck between a rock and a hard place, but let’s channel our inner Martin Luther King Jr. and hold onto hope. And if all else fails, let’s just get together for a good ol’ fashioned laugh at the absurdity of it all!
In conclusion, Mathis’ article serves as a grim reminder of the times we live in, accompanied by a faint glimmer of hope. The future may appear daunting, but with collective strength, imagination, and a little bit of cheeky humor, we just might navigate through to the brighter days ahead. Or at the very least, we’ll have some riveting stories to tell.
The achievements of the American civil rights movements since the 1960s and 1970s face significant jeopardy if Donald Trump secures election victory, warns acclaimed African-American author Ayana Mathis.
Kamala Harris talks to reporters before her departure to Las Vegas.
Jacquelyn Martin / AP
As I observe the weather changing in Berlin, the skies have turned muted gray, and a chill hangs in the air, reminiscent of a foreboding omen. Today is November 1st, and with just four days remaining until the consequential elections, the atmosphere feels dense with uncertainty.
Since the beginning of October, I have found myself in Berlin as a fellow of the American Academy, relishing the unusually bright days that greeted me—sunny skies, temperatures around 15 degrees, and no rainfall. Although I was initially uplifted, a continual undercurrent of dread gnawed at my spirits, threatening to pull me under as I navigated the comforts of the city. Yet, for now, the sunlight dances on the surface of the Spree River, and in Kreuzberg’s Neue Markthalle, I savor freshly shucked oysters paired with a delightful glass of white wine.
A convicted felon could become president
My myriad of concerns burgeons, and while the historical context differs vastly, they echo the palpable fears seeable in Germany’s own painful history as depicted in the Topography of Terror exhibition. Across different epochs and locales, recurring societal maladies manifest—fascism, repression, along with the propaganda, manipulation, and violence that accompany them.
These grievances, although dressed in different guises and utilizing disparate rhetoric, remain profoundly similar at their core. The looming threat in America, explicitly identifiable, is a legally convicted felon, flanked by a coalition of fraudsters and white supremacists—individuals facing accusations not just for their beliefs, but for conspiracy to undermine the electoral process and further alleged financial misconduct.
Political scholar Robert Paxton, who has fiercely examined regimes, recently deemed it appropriate to label Trump a fascist, reversing his initial hesitance. Vice President Kamala Harris echoed this sentiment in her campaign remarks. The indifference exhibited by many of my fellow Americans towards such definitions fills me with a sense of despair and trepidation.
What happens if Trump loses?
Among my pressing worries is the alarming trend of a populace—both political actors and citizens—who remain uncertain about the actual meaning of fascism, paradoxically fearing socialism far more. Disturbingly, many Americans, aware of the implications of fascist ideologies, have avowedly chosen to abandon democratic ideals, perceiving those ideals as incompatible with their objectives.
This phenomenon does not boil down to the media’s oversimplified portrayal that all far-right followers are ignorant; rather, it underscores a troubling embrace of white supremacy, xenophobia, and a yearning for isolationist policies which these factions advocate for reshaping the nation’s future.
Yet, in spite of my profound concerns, I hold onto a notion: should Vice President Harris claim victory—something I fervently pray for—we may merely succeed in slowing down the aggressive tide of tribalism rather than stopping it. My fear escalates when I ponder the potential aftermath if Donald Trump loses; would the chaos unleashed exceed the insurrection witnessed on January 6, 2021? The hard-won progress achieved over the past sixty years through civil rights movements may only serve as an ephemeral phase in a nation grappling with legacies of indigenous genocide and racial oppression, rooted deeply in its history.
This is not the time for despair
Amidst this unsettling landscape, I found myself reflecting on recent reports detailing Trump’s campaign rally at Madison Square Garden on October 29th—a place familiar to me, given the city’s overwhelming Democratic voter base. His choice of language was shocking, reducing Puerto Rico to a derogatory “floating island of garbage” and perpetuating harmful stereotypes about Jews and Palestinians.
In the midst of this turmoil, I turn to friends back home in the US; their unsettled voices resonate with my own anxieties as we frantically search for encouraging signals in this fraught landscape. Superstition settles in as I compulsively balance my consumption of news; if I read a pro-Harris article, I counter that with one favoring Trump, as if my scrutiny of information could sway the electoral outcome.
I am a writer at a critical juncture, intensely pondering the significance of my contributions at this pivotal moment. It is in times like these I seek inspiration from literary giants such as Toni Morrison, who remarked, “This is exactly the time when artists get to work. Now is not the time for despair, not the time for self-pity, not the need for silence.”
The power of the moral imagination
In contemplating the legacies of past writers and thinkers, I grasp how impoverished our cultural landscape would appear devoid of their voices. Whatever path leads us out of this tumult will undoubtedly be illuminated by their words and the collective resolve of those who dared to challenge the oppressive forces throughout history.
This moment requires resilience and a firm grip on the moral compass championed by Martin Luther King Jr. and countless others. Although the journey ahead feels perilous, the moral imagination, like a tenuous yet steadfast beacon, has historically guided us through some of humanity’s darkest chapters toward fleetingly brighter days.
The writer Ayana Mathis lives in New York City. Her novel “A Fire on the Riverbank” has just been published by DTV. – Translated from the American by Susanne Höbel.
Ime for us to be brave.” Mathis calls upon us to embody this bravery, urging us to remain steadfast in our beliefs and to continue fighting against injustice and division.
In navigating through this turbulent political landscape, we are reminded that courage takes many forms—whether it’s standing up for our principles, engaging in difficult conversations, or simply finding moments of joy amidst the chaos. We can channel our collective resilience to advocate for unity, understanding, and compassion.
The path ahead may be strewn with challenges, but as history has shown, it is often in the face of adversity that our truest strengths are revealed. By leaning on one another and holding fast to our shared humanity, we can write a future that honors the sacrifices made by those who fought for civil rights before us. It is a challenge, no doubt, but also an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to a just society where every voice is valued and heard.
As we brace ourselves for what lies ahead, let us carry forward the spirit of hope and humor that Mathis encapsulates, knowing that together, we can chart a course toward progress—even in the most uncertain of times. Whether through protest, dialogue, or the simple act of loving our neighbors, we have the power to sow seeds of change in our communities. The resilience of the human spirit, after all, knows no bounds.
