America showed up

On January 6, when terrorists invaded the United States Capitol, one of the men said, “You are afraid of Antifa? Well, guess what? America showed up.” I agree; that is what America has become.

The late stand-up comedian George Carlin said, “Where do people think these politicians come from? They don’t fall out of the sky. They don’t pass through a membrane from another reality. They come from American parents and American families, American homes, American schools, American churches, American businesses, and American universities and are elected by American citizens. This is the best we can do folks! It’s what our system produces. If you have selfish ignorant citizens, you’re gonna get selfish ignorant leaders.”

While the racist from the Oval Office is leaving, the racism is not. As the White House is being sanitised, the nation remains infected. It is the man who lost, not the idea. Over 74 million people voted for him — 12 million more votes than what he got in 2016. American mainstream journalism is focused primarily on Donald Trump inciting this terrorism, which he did doubtlessly. However, what is more alarming is that people heeded his siren calls. Trump reflects a huge chunk of the society. What happened on January 6 is not merely a continuation of chronic racism and division in America but could very well be the birth pangs of something uglier and more sinister.

America is home to the world’s leading universities such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Princeton, and so forth. Yet, despite that, America is also home to the most ignorant people. The terrorists at the Capitol and the 74 million voters genuinely believe the election was rigged and the so-called deep state played its dirty hand to snatch the election victory from Trump. Many white Americans in Texas that I spoke with genuinely believe that God sent Trump to save America and their race and religion from the onslaught of liberal traitors. Even driving in a predominantly liberal city such as Houston, it is a common sight to see trucks with bumper stickers using profanity for the Democrats and liberals.

Washington DC is in a lockdown. People basically move between checkpoints where each time they have to show their IDs. Even well-known celebrity journalists have to go through these proof of identity rituals. For many immigrants from places such as Pakistan, Palestine, Afghanistan and Iraq, it is an exercise they have good practice from their home countries. Welcome to America!

At the time of this writing, 25,000 National Guard troops are heading to Washington DC to defend the place not against ISIS or Al Qaeda but against Americans. The National Guard troops are vetted to ensure they don’t harbour extremist views. So far, 12 have been removed from the Biden inauguration security mission for fear that they may attack President-elect Biden at the oath taking ceremony. Egypt’s Anwar Sadat once faced the same danger. Remember these terrorists on January 6 were chanting slogans “Hang Mike Pence!” and they missed him by just seconds. It raised many eyebrows as to whether the Capitol security sympathised and colluded with the terrorist mob.

The vetting of the National Guard troops is reminiscent of the “Green on Blue” attacks in Afghanistan where the blue uniform-wearing US soldiers trained the green uniform-wearing Afghan National Army soldiers, who on various occasions made armed attacks against their American trainers, prompting the US forces to carefully vet the Afghans before recruiting them. Today, that is happening in America.

Today, the ones at the receiving end of the threat from the Americans is not Iran or North Korea but the American President and legislature. The country that lectures others over freedom, equality, and morality has become a place where the moral compass comes to retire and die. Are you Proud yet Boys?

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2021.

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