The 2024 U.S. presidential election: An African perspective

Sir: The U.S. sits at the pinnacle of global power and influence. To think of sitting out the 2024 U.S. presidential election is to abdicate one’s responsibilities as a fellow global citizen and caretaker of the earth’s bounty and largesse – since the regressive U.S. Republican Party is steeped in climate-science denial.

As Trump further descends into pure, dangerous. unstoppable madness, on an hourly basis, the potential fallout of his wicked proclivities and malignant narcissism terrifies the global community as both he and Vance, goad their gullible, robotic supporters into violence.

The global ripple effects of widespread mania breaking out and gaining the ascendancy in the U.S., a nation awash in military-grade fire arms, are unfathomable and beggars the imagination. If America fails in upholding democratic leadership, stability and values, as a beacon of the free world, then for all intents and purposes, it is lights out for democratic rule writ large. It would also open the gate for the apocalyptic pale horse of climate-change-planetary-upheaval to have free rein, reigning over universal chaos and death.

If there were any lingering doubts as to Trump’s sanity, morality and bona-fides, they should be urgently dispelled, in light of his recent appalling performances (alarmingly passing for grave and weighty political discourse/persuasion), as he sinisterly closes out his pitiful, pesky presidential campaign.

The depraved words and actions that freely flow from the wounded, enfeebled, garbage-spewing, wanna be dictator/king/emperor that Trump is and has always been, are not only universally offensive, but chilling to the bone.

Instances of which include, resolutely refusing to disavow racist/dehumanising remarks directed at the island of Puerto Rico and its latino inhabitants, by a comic green-lighted by his campaign; issuing a public death threat to an open critic of his leadership, in the person of Liz Cheyne; an erstwhile Republican Party stalwart and most recently, sickingly simulating a sex-act at an event, crowning his presidential run.

This supremely vulgar abomination was done in front of the whole world. Howbeit, his shameful conduct elicited apologies to the international community from outraged, moral, well-meaning U.S. citizens. Their condemnation thankfully portrays that all is not lost.

As a member of the global community pondering the possibility of a Trump victory due to eligible U.S. voters, choosing not to vote – my heart sinks. This scenario would make the present widespread monumental human need, pale in comparison, to the unmitigated horrors a second Trump presidency would unleash on the whole world. We in Africa are undeserving of and unprepared to deal with the fallout of a Trump Administration egged on by self-serving, lily-livered enablers.

One only needs to reflect on his gross and cruel mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be recalled that he was responsible for hundreds of thousands preventable COVID-19 deaths of his compatriots, whom he was sworn to serve and protect. The sad tragedy of epic proportions, represents the tip of the iceberg of Trump’s myriad, multifaceted abject failings, as a human being, a man and a U.S. President.

Ms Irene Fowler is an international lawyer (LL.M Harvard), human rights advocate, educator, essayist and poet.