I voted for what is best for me and my beloved country, the United States of
America. The right to vote is an inalienable right in any democratic country. I cannot
exercise this right in my home country, Eritrea. But thank fully, I do have that right in
America. In the presidential election of 2024, it is very crucial
that we carefully vote for what is best for us and our country
before anything else. There is a stark difference between the
two candidates in how they see and treat their constituents and
how they would lead the country to which they owe an oath of
allegiance. As an ex-president of the United States from 2017 to 2021, Donald Trump did not have any meaningful economic programs of his own making. He luckily inherited a sound economic programs legacy of Barack Obama. Trump's
national policies of divide and rule were marred by ethnic,
racial, and class divisions and tensions instead of uniting them
for a common purpose. In the international arena, he espouses
dictatorial leaders, despots, and fascists like the North Korean
supreme leader Kim Jong Un and the Russian fascist leader
Vladimir Putin. When he was president, he antagonized and provoked many European
allieed leaders. Trump is inherently anti-European Union, NATO, and the UN. Without the
alliance of all these critical institutions, America cannot stand alone and survive. That is
pathetic! What is most amazing is that most right-wing Americans affiliated with Trump
are mentally blinded by extreme hatred and animosity towards non-white foreigners and
minorities. Because of such biases, they cannot see the dangers that Trump’s presidency
can pose to America. One must wonder what happened to the spirit of Nationalism in
America today. This is not about Donald Trump or Kamala Harris. It is about America’s
future as a great nation of clear ideas and idealism and its historical might, which has been
the envy of the whole world. Something is wrong with Americans tolerating Trump’s
extremism, to the extent of befriending Vladimir Putin, who is the arch enemy of America
and Americans. I am glad former president Ronald Reagan did not live long enough to see
this debacle. Even for the Muslims who historically support the Palestinian cause, during
Trump’s tenure in 2017, he proposed that the city of Jerusalem become the capital city of
Israel instead of Tel Aviv. And for that reason alone, Arabs should not be expected to vote
for Trump over Kamala Harris. At the same time, Trump has been obsessively labeling
Mexicans as rapists, killers, drug dealers, etc. And yet, a significant number of Mexican
men are allegedly supporting Trump in this election, which may be due to sheer ignorance
and/or selfish personal interests. In any case, we should be cautious about losing our long-held world leadership status if Trump is unfortunately re-elected. Trump is unfit to be
president for a second term because he is the most dangerous person in this country. He
cannot and would not be a president for all Americans in unison. He would also defund
Medicare and Social Security, which is the only income source for millions of senior
citizens, in order to support tax cuts for himself and his billionaire friends. Trump is very
selfish and cruel. Besides, he is very racist and treats minorities as second-class citizens.
After all, he is a felon. Trump does not understand American problems nationally and
internationally. If elected, Trump will turn the country into a third-world country status,
and he will also abandon Ukraine’s noble cause, which would mean surrendering to war-
mongering Vladimir Putin of Russia. Withdrawing American support for Ukraine means
undermining European allys’ support for Ukraine, which in turn weakens European
security and the US alliance. As president of the United States, Trump violated his oath to
“preserve, protect and defend the constitution.” Instead, he incited an insurrection in the
Capitol on January 6, 2021, by falsely claiming that the presidential election of 2020 was
stolen and that he was the legitimate president. That was a hoax, and he was impeached
for the second time. In this incident, several people were hurt or killed, including some
police officers. Because of his misguided actions, many decorated army generals, reputed
congressmen and senators, and even some level-headed Republicans are loudly and
clearly warning the American people that Trump is the most dangerous person to the
country and that he cannot be a president for the second term. Trump continuously
attacks, ridicules, and accosts those who disagree with him philosophically. He is like a
mad dog who attacks and bites anybody who stands in his way. Trump knows how to lie
and score a point. He openly said that he would put his opponents in jail. And yet, with all
his shortcomings, he is surging in the polls, which is incomprehensible and puts the country
in danger. We may have to focus on the new generation of 18 to 30 years of age, to save the
endangered country. The power of voting is not in the hands of the handful billionaires who
are trying to buy, pollute, and corrupt the ballot box. We should not idly allow them to do
that. Trump doesn’t honestly support the state of Israel, but he pretends to be one as a
matter of political convenience. If he were so, he wouldn’t speak of Hitler highly.
As a matter of national salvation, the American people should soundly vote for
Kamala Harris as a clear choice. Kamala is ready and a highly qualified person to
be a president of all people. Her background information consists of the
following: After a lifelong of public service, she became a vice president of the
United States in 2021 through the present time. She was a United States Senator
for California from 2017 to 2021, Attorney General of California from 2011 to 2017,
a City District Attorney from 2004, and an Alameda County, California, prosecutor
from 1990. With such lifelong public service experience, Kamala Harris has
developed the ability to bring broad coalitions across the aisle, which Trump
lacks the most. A good presidential candidate should not be judged by a single
agenda item of concern, but by a host of agenda item of concern to the general
public. An excellent presidential candidate lifts those who are at the bottom of
the totem pole and the marginalized citizens, while a lousy candidate ridicules,
demonizes, and gives them all kinds of names. In the international arena, Kamala
Harris gallantly stated a two-state solution to the lingering problem of Israel /
Palestine as good neighbors. To do that, however, the Palestinians should
unequivocally recognize the state of Israel to exist. Such resolution would be an
ideal solution for lasting peace. However, Trump would not honestly say that in
the open.
Therefore, in the best interest of our own and the interests of this great country,
we should do what is morally and legally right. We must participate in the 2024
presidential election without fear, reject bigotry and hatred, and vote for the
person who can unite and lead the country, and that person is Kamala Harris.
Berhe Desta
Seattle, Washington, USA.
