By Alieu SK Manjang
Over the past three days, I closely followed the Republican National Convention, where the Republicans gathered to select Donald Trump as their candidate for the November 2024 presidential elections. This experience has given me valuable insights into political norms and practices in the United States of America. This experience has led me to believe that Gambians may misunderstand the essence of politics and its rules. While I do not claim that the events at the Republican National Convention represent the ideal political understanding and practices of the average American, subsequent media commentary and analysis confirmed that what is often condemned in Gambian politics is considered normal in the United States. I noticed that politicians openly displayed their submission to God in front of thousands of supporters.
A clergy member was invited to offer prayers at the convention, and even Donald Trump publicly demonstrated his submission to God. This mingling of religion and politics stands in contrast to Gambian political customs, where such practices might be viewed as inappropriate or insincere. Secondly, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Trump’s former press secretary, dedicated her entire speech to praising Donald Trump rather than addressing critical issues. This level of personal adulation is often criticized in Gambian politics as sycophancy, yet it is evidently a common practice in American political events.
Thirdly, the convention was turned into a family affair with a particular focus on Trump’s family. His son Eric and daughter-in-law highlighted Trump’s character, and even his 17-year-old granddaughter was given the stage to rally support. Such family involvement in politics, which might be labelled as nepotism in Gambia, is normalized and celebrated in the US context. Fourthly, identity politics, including discussions on ethnicity and race, is omnipresent in both Democratic and Republican discourse. Over the past four weeks of my visit to the USA, it has become clear that identity politics is central to American political life. In contrast, Gambian political analysts often denounce such practices as divisive.
Fifthly, music and dance were integral parts of the Republican National Convention. Between speeches, musicians performed, and the atmosphere was celebratory. In Gambian politics, such displays might be viewed as distractions from serious political discourse. Finally, regionalism was prominently featured in the speech of Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, who called on people from Ohio to support their campaign. While regional pride is common in American politics, it is often criticized in Gambia as parochialism. Reflecting on Gambian politics, the practices I observed in the USA are often denounced by Gambian intellectuals and self-assigned political analysts as symbols of backwardness, incivility, and political immaturity.
However, these same practices are considered part of the political norm in the United States. I am not suggesting that the Gambia should emulate American political culture. However, this raises an important question: What political model do our intellectuals and Western-minded Gambians envision for our political practices? Considering the USA’s position in global politics and advanced political institutions, this question is crucial for our political development. What Gambia needs is not to create a utopian and unrealistic political culture for ourselves but rather to exert efforts to instill in the people the values of patriotism, tolerance, and acceptance of diversity as our strength. Civic education might make us more realistic and mature in our approach to issues and politicians. These are what would help us honestly discuss issues in political rallies while embracing our unique cultures.
