Dear editor,
For many of us from third world countries with unsavoury experience about recalcitrant incumbents, United States represented a kind of democratic model or process that was no means perfect but enviable, enduring and almost unmatched in greatness. Personally, I was drawn to the Republican Party due to its conservative policies, religious liberties and family values, robust national security posture and strong, moral presence around the world. I was also inspired by many great leaders of the party such as the Lincolns, the Reagans and the McCains, among others.
But President Trump’s brazen and overt assault on the very fabric of America’s democracy and the seeming cowardice, silence and subjugation of our current GOP leadership is giving me a serious re-calculation of my political affiliation. While the president reserves the right to exhaust his legal options, the idea that he is going to extra length to pressure others in subverting the will of the people just to cling onto power goes beyond everything we’ve ever seen or known about the United States of America. This is no longer a case of Liberals vs Conservatives; this is a disdainful stain on our democracy with scorching consequences for many years to come.
It is about time President Trump put the country above petty personal sentiments, recognize the will of majority as decided on November 3rd election and fully and unconditionally commit himself and Federal government to a peaceful, seamless transition going forward. It is equally about damn time our Republican leaders took wisdom from those exemplary leaders who visited President Nixon at the White House on 7 August 1974 and put sense into President Trump. The longer this shenanigan drags on, the greater the damage it poses to all of us and our Republican Party will be deservedly and harshly judged by posterity. We should be better than this, man!
Zakaria Kemo Konteh
Queens, USA
