Sinister Spiral

Published in El Pais
(Spain) on 5 September 2020
by Editorial (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Stephen Routledge. Edited by Patricia Simoni.
The U.S. should not elect its president in a climate of political violence, which is what Trump seems to prefer.

The U.S. presidential campaign is being affected by a sinister spiral of violence which has irresponsibly been caused by the head of state himself; a totally undesirable circumstance in any electoral process, and one which threatens to influence the most important election in the most influential democracy on the planet.

Showing once again his disrespect for the office to which he was elected, Donald Trump, rather than trying to calm things down and act as the president of all his fellow citizens, is doing everything possible to take advantage of any situation which feeds his strategy of presenting American society as being fractured and degraded as a consequence of his Democratic rivals; while, of course, presenting himself as the only solution.

The latest spark in the fire started by the president is the death of Michael Reinoehl, an anti-fascist militant suspected of killing a Trump supporter in Oregon, as police moved in to arrest him. Although police action may have been justified (an issue under investigation), instead of trying to contain the events by keeping them in context or by lamenting the death of another American, the president has taken advantage of the situation to target street protests against his government in an unacceptable and unjust way. He is placing the responsibility for what is happening on those governors and mayors who are his political rivals, and who do not support him in his bid for reelection.

After 100 days of protests throughout the U.S. following the death of George Floyd, arrested and killed by a police officer, the country is witnessing a trickle of deaths and confrontations that should stop immediately; and the role of those who have the maximum responsibility of government in this is inexcusable. The United States should not elect its president in a climate of political violence, which is what Trump seems to prefer.


EE UU no debe elegir a su presidente en un clima de violencia política, que es lo que parece que Trump prefiere

La campaña presidencial estadounidense se está viendo afectada por una siniestra espiral de violencia azuzada irresponsablemente por el propio jefe del Estado. Una circunstancia totalmente indeseable en cualquier proceso electoral y que amenaza con influir en la elección más importante de la que es la democracia más influyente del planeta.

Mostrando una vez más su falta de respeto hacia el cargo para el que fue elegido, Donald Trump, en vez de intentar calmar los ánimos y de actuar como presidente de todos sus conciudadanos, está haciendo todo lo posible por aprovechar cualquier situación que alimente su estrategia de presentar a la sociedad estadounidense como fracturada y degradada por culpa de los rivales demócratas siendo, naturalmente, él mismo, la única solución.

La última chispa en este incendio azuzado por el presidente es la muerte en Oregón, mientras la policía trataba de detenerlo, de Michael Reinoehl, un militante antifascista sospechoso de asesinar a su vez a un seguidor de Trump. Lejos de tratar de contener los hechos ciñéndolos a su contexto, y en vez de lamentar otra muerte de un estadounidense —aunque la actuación policial haya podido estar justificada, algo que está bajo investigación—, el mandatario ha aprovechado para apuntar a las protestas en la calle contra su Gobierno y hacer recaer de manera inaceptable e injusta, con amenazas incluidas, la responsabilidad de lo que está sucediendo sobre gobernadores y alcaldes que son rivales políticos y no le apoyan en su intento de reelección.

Cuando se han cumplido 100 días de protestas por todo EE UU tras la muerte, detenido y a manos de un policía, de George Floyd, el país asiste a un goteo de muertes y enfrentamientos que debería cesar de inmediato y para ello el papel de quien tiene la máxima responsabilidad de Gobierno es inexcusable. EE UU no debe elegir a su presidente en un clima de violencia política, que es lo que parece que Trump prefiere.

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