The Upside Down
Dear American friends, don’t read this if you are feeling wretched about, you know who, or possibly agree with him. This is very much written from a European viewpoint and by a person who should be seen as left of Bernie Sanders, who in the UK is considered to say really normal things. Btw, I can’t bring myself to say Liberal as this term used to be used quite differently to the meaning of the word used in the States.
I hesitated before I published this as I really don’t wish to offend. But considering the headlines today – on Gaza – it is essential to say what I say. We live in a crazy world – made worse by …..sigh. I am just trying to interpret this world as best as I can.
So.
Who’s watched Stranger Things? Probably not the majority of you as it’s quite a niche dystopian television series. It would take the entire post for me to explain the intricacies of the plot but suffice to say, through several seasons, it follows a group of kids in 1980s America uncovering various supernatural mysteries. One of the kids is abducted to the Upside Down and they find another, called Eleven, who is psychic. Out of those two sentences a whole world (and many seasons) has been constructed that examines the fate of Eleven and how the Upside Down (which obviously isn’t a nice place) creeps into the everyday world of small-town America.
Does the Upside Down exist? Of course not, it’s a confection conjured up by the writers of this series.
And yet, I contend that the Upside Down does exist. Is it everywhere? Yes. To a certain extent yes. Every country holds certain beliefs or holds on to certain policies that seem outrageous, odd, not right and quite crazy. In the UK you can ask why of many institutions and indeed scandals. Why is the compensation that is going to the victims of the Post Office scandal still not paid out? Answer? None. You question why is the NHS so fragile and difficult to negotiate? Answer? None. Why is A&E like a war zone? Answer? None. Or. Here is another re-organisation – which is crazy. That is how it is. Oh and don’t forget the carers and their ‘debts’ that have to be paid back? The NHS contaminated blood scandal?
It’s all so cruel. There you are. There are many more examples of this in the UK. Hence, I am not arguing that it is just one country that has this – Upside Down.
But.
It seems there is a very particular kind of Upside Down in the States amongst (and would it be right to say) nearly half the population of that country, and particularly by the Trump cabinet and the true believers in MAGA.
Ukraine started the war? Oh. My. Word. Please. Do the research. Yes, America has just signed a treaty with Ukraine to share in the mineral wealth (should that be extort the wealth) from Ukraine, which gives them a greater stake in Ukraine, which might make them defend Ukraine. Thinks Ukraine. We’ll see if that happens. But note this treaty is entirely between the US and Ukraine.
What about Russia’s position? The Russia that continues the war and the killing of civilians despite the many calls for a cease fire. The Russia that tortures prisoners and kidnaps and transports thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia. These are heinous crimes. To understand the mindset of Putin’s read his long-winded paper on Ukraine in On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians. This is a clue to how this dictator sees the world. Putin believes Ukraine is part of Russia – and that is absolutely the end of it.
Putin is the instigator of this war, who thought he could walk into Kiev and sack it in 3 days. He didn’t because of the courage of the Ukrainians who, at that point, did not have the military help from other countries that it has now, and I have to say the ineptitude of the Russian forces contributed a great deal to their not getting to Kiev. But in this Upside Down that Trump has created, Russia is an ally to be appeased and given the hand of friendship. And Ukraine? Look, just maybe Trump has pivoted away from Putin, but don’t forget this is an inconsistent President who changes his mind again and again. And maybe Zelensky has to realise that Ukraine cannot have Crimea, but never ever forget that Putin wants all of Ukraine, and I mean all of it, and he will never rest until that happens.
Oh, and America won’t dilly dally around the negotiations between Russa and Ukraine? Instead, they will walk away if an agreement doesn’t happen pronto. Mind you that was last week’s thought, who knows what will happen this week, because the thing is, what is said, within days is out of date. But has Trump any idea what a negotiation is like? For instance, has Trump’s Cabinet any sense of how long it took to negotiate peace in Northern Ireland? It took 700 days and a very dedicated American Senator, George Mitchell, who chaired the meetings. Think about that, an American Senator was at the heart of incredibly challenging negotiations for a very, very long time. Today – would that happen?
This is not normal.
Read Heather Cox Richardson in her Letters from an American to see the connection between Trump and Russia. (*see below)
Forget also Atlantisicm and seeing Europe as America’s ally. Gone are the 80 years of solid and sensible post-war relations between America and Europe. Yes, Europe should pay more into NATO. Of course. But there appears to be a reversal of thinking in the States that Europe is the ally of America. This America, as in Trumps’ America, also questions the status of NATO. As you know I have already written that you need to step back and understand Russia’s view of NATO. Nevertheless, how do you factor in an American President who favours Russia over Europe, and a Vice President who appears to loathe Europe? How do you factor in an American President who might order a takeover of Greenland? Which is part of Denmark. It is unthinkable.
Is America our friend?
To even ask that question is not normal.
And tariffs. Trump in the Rose Garden gave a typically Trumpian display of his view of the world. But what is so fascinating is that the white board that he held up contained the most ridiculous, unbelievable, economic nonsense that not even an A-level student aged 17, or thereabouts, would put forward. It didn’t make sense and was beyond economically illiterate. And there in the Rose Garden his Cabinet was applauding him, clapping and happy to see Trump using his powers!
This is not normal.
And to back up my take on this do watch the YouTube video of Professor Jeffery Sachs (*see below) explaining how we should not normalise this nonsense! If you do watch it, I guarantee that instead of wanting to bang your head on a table, you will find your mind expanding as you listen to an erudite and witty professor explaining what tariffs actually do, and how we should not normalise Trump’s astonishing ignorance!
Staying within the States for the moment, what about DOGE and the horrible effect that Musk is having on internal democracy (getting into databases and so on) and closing so many projects, research and even infrastructure essential to the States.
And beyond that is the tragedy of stopping USAID to poorer countries leading to rotting food in aid trucks and the closure of many essential programmes that save so many lives. Listen to Awal Gawande being interviewed by Rory Stewart and Alistair Campbell for their podcast Leading *(see below). At one point, after Gawande puts forward his calculation that millions will die as a result of these cuts, Stewart asks, is this a crime against humanity?
Of course it is.
Gawande also points out that as Trump has made Europe a much more dangerous place many countries in Europe are upping their military budgets. And what is the first thing that is cut? Foreign aid. Yes, we (the UK) are doing that too. But not quite as much or as far reaching as these horrific cuts made by Trump and Musk.
All of this is not normal. We live in one world and the richer countries should hold their hands out to those in need.
And then there is Gaza which Trump sees as a fantastic and beautiful piece of Real Estate.
Really? Is that normal?
Currently I am reading a book written by the author and journalist Omar El Akkad which has a long title:
One day, when it’s safe, when there’s no personal downside to calling a thing what it is, when it’s too late to hold anyone accountable, everyone will have always been against this.
Yes, all of those words are the title. And ‘this’ being the killing spree financed and endorsed by the West and especially the States. Actually, stepping back from this ghastliness, the blame for the situation in Gaza cannot be put entirely on the States as so many other countries endorse Israel and give it military support.
Stepping back further, when I was younger, I had such a romantic view of Israel. What a brave little country, I thought, giving security to so many Jews after the war and the Holocaust. What was not to like? In fact, this was the time when your Gap Year might include working on a Kibbutz, and I had two friends who did exactly that. Look, I watched the film Exodus and read the book believing every word of it.
But slowly, ever so slowly one realised, oh, there was another time, long, long ago, centuries ago, when Israel was a hotly disputed area fought over by numerous empires. And that area became at different times Israel/Judah/Palestine. The names were interchangeable as one empire or military regime fought and colonised the area. And don’t forget that one of the empires, Britain, and the Balfour Declaration, had a lot to do with the birth of Israel.
In recent times, the Zionist project worked to make the longing that Jews had for a homeland a reality. This belief came to realisation after the war and the ghastly horrors of the Holocaust, when in November 1947 the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 181, which partitioned the territory into independent Arab and Jewish states
I am skipping huge, humungeous chunks of history here. When did I learn about the consequent Nakba? I’m ashamed to say, not all that long ago.
And that’s the trouble. Either people have no idea whatsoever of the history of this area of the Middle East – I’d put Trump in that category but so many more are in that category, including myself. Or they know that this is their land because…. and use ‘their history’ to support their case. History helps one to understand but sometimes it gets in the way. Too many people look backwards instead of looking to a solution.
So, this current situation is not just about the support coming from the States and Trump, it is about one of those tragic countries that never have any peace, because of their geographical and geopolitical place in the world.
And now there are two peoples fighting over the same piece of land. And currently one of these sets of people, Israel, is being incredibly cruel and vindictive, and is backed up by all of us. I say us, I mean the West.
Why? Is this normal? It seems to many it is. Another Upside Down.
So, what exactly am I saying here? Is this anti-semitism to put this into words. Oh, good grief, I am analysing a nation’s actions, and the government of Israel in particular, and not a group of people. And please do not think I have forgotten the Pogroms that have been visited on Jews for centuries before the Holocaust, or the horrors of October 7thand the ill-treatment of the hostages held by Hamas. Every death is a devastating event. Every Single Death.
The thing is we all felt huge sympathy for Israel for the atrocities perpetuated by Hamas on October 7th. Who would not feel that way. Of course, Israel needed to do something. Of course, they did. No one doubted that.
But this? Tens of thousands of Palestinian women and children dead, so many orphans too. Their homes, their hospitals, their infrastructure reduced to rubble. The deliberate starvation and lack of water and electricity? There is something here about proportionality.
Consequently, my sympathy has gone.
This war in Gaza is genocide and it needs to be called that.
And look no further than a documentary, The Settlers, made by Louis Theroux in which he reveals the extreme views held by Zionist settlers who are forever expanding their territories in the West Bank. I mean I haven’t even begun to look at the West Bank where Zionists have been committing heinous crimes for years. The leaders of these ghastly people are already eagerly anticipating building their homes in Gaza with obviously the Palestinians gone to other lands – the countries were listed – it was anywhere but their homeland, Gaza. Because Gaza is Israel, these people believe, it is their land. Btw I think the documentary could have explored the Israeli activists who are not Zionists, who wish to live in peace with Palestinians. Even so this documentary is well worth a watch.
But do you not think that we live in the Upside Down with a head of state, Trump, that sees the land of the Palestinians, as Real Estate? Is this the way to look at the world? But it is not only Trump. We live in the Upside Down with the majority of Western leaders supporting this Israel. Why?
Oh, and now the government of Israel will ‘move’ Gazans for their safety before they ‘conquer’ Gaza – and stay there.
What!
We see what is happening. We know it is wrong and yet, what can we do, we say? We wring our hands, or worse, we turn away and don’t even look.
But we can act. At the very least we need to look. We owe it to humanity, we owe it to the displaced, the hungry, the wounded, the orphans, to understand their plight.
And what then? We can march (I can’t now but I would if I could). We can meet other like-minded people, we can join organisations, listen to speakers at meetings, sign petitions, we can donate to various charities, we can vote for the right people, we can contact our representatives. Above all, we can strive to understand by reading widely and listening to various pundits. Yes, these are people with opinions, but if you choose wisely, you can find your mind expanding and you think, oh, that’s how it is.
Of course, in the scheme of things occurring around the world – this is nothing. But we do need as citizens of this world, we do need to know we are all being gaslit to continue our lives as normal while this Upside Down version of reality takes over.
And I’ll just end by saying, so this Upside Down is not just Trump, it is everywhere. But from across the pond, we do watch Trump with much trepidation and horror. The world feels a much more dangerous place now with him as President of the USA.
So I end with a plea. Come back America, the nicer version, the more humane, less performative, more stable America, which was by no means perfect, not at all, but at least we knew you were an ally of the UK and Europe. Are you still? Or is this new world order here to stay? You tell me.
Penny Kocher, 6th May 2025
References
Books
Omar El Akkad, One day, when it’s safe, when there is no personal downside to calling a thing what it is, when it’s too late to hold anyone accountable, everyone will have always been against this. Canongate, 2025.
Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Message, Hamish Hamilton, 2024
Michael Scott-Baumann, Palestinians and Israelis. A short History of Conflict. The History Press, 2001
Rashid Khaldi, The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine. Profile Books, 2000
Articles
Jason Burke, Israel plans new offensive aimed at conquering Gaza, causing global concern. Guardian online 6 May 2025
Heather Cox Richardson, Letters from an American, April 23, 2025. NB. *Referenced above. This academic writes daily. I highly recommend signing up. A sane voice, always well researched, coming from America
Arwa Mahdawi, Gaza is a killing field where people are being starved. How long will the world tolerate this? Guardian 13 April 2025
Nesrine Malik, Politicians want to normalise what’s happening in Gaza. Our moral outrage won’t let that happen. 7 April 2025
Eyal Weizman, Diary. London Review of Books,25 April 2025. NB This is about Germany’s position vis a vis Israel.
Tom Stevenson, Rubble from Bone, London Review of Books, 8 February 2024
Leila Farsakh, The Refugee Problem, London Review of Books, 16 November 2023
Podcasts and videos
Louis Theroux, The Settlers. BBC 2 or BBC iPlayer
Alistair Campbell & Rory Stewart, The Rest is Politics
Alistair Campbell & Rory Stewart, Leading. Especially the one where they interview Awal Gwande
Katty Kay & Anthony Scaramucci, The Rest is Politics US
Jeffrey Sachs at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Mickey Mouse is Cleverer Than Him! Times New World, YouTube. *Referenced above. Very enlightening and worth watching.
And many more articles, podcasts and books too numerous to mention!
As always, thoughtful and considered. It is so hard to look and not despair. Christine
Feeing despair is being an empathetic human being. It would be wrong not to feel despair. However, we have to hold on to the fact that there are good people out there – especially aid workers. And further afield there are people who see the slaughter and are actively working to end this. At least I’ve heard a few governments saying, ‘err, no’, to this. This being the current Israeli government view that they will stay in Gaza.
Thank you so much Christine.
Thank you Penny. You’ve summed up the situation perfectly. We’re living in terrible times and, as much as I want to be optimistic, I believe things are going to get worse before they get better. BTW I’m already subscribed to the people you recommend and a few more too.
It is particularly awful in Gaza where things seem to have ratcheted up with, first, the starvation and now the ‘moving’ of peoples.
Btw, another podcast to listen to and one I found only a couple of days ago was Jon Stewart’s podcast with Rory Stewart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at-smySDPNU I do watch Jon Stewart’s show on YouTube from time to time but it is a very shouty version of him and I can only take a little of this. But his podcast is totally different and my word what a clear thinking bright guy Jon Stewart is. And this podcast that is over an hour long is wonderful – you will find it one of those mind-expanding hours. Well worth a watch. I have now subscribed.
Thanks Christine
Thanks Penny. I had already clicked on the link as you had recommended it on a previous comment. Will watch it later.
Probably 30 percent of the voting public in the US is hardcore MAGA. I think they are brainwashed and lack critical thinking skills. The trump regime also lacks critical thinking skills, is ignorant, cruel, and traitors to our Constitution and our country. They disgust me.
Israel’s war in Gaza has always been genocide from the beginning. Netanyahu is a war criminal, period.
What I see as a solution to a lot of the world’s woes is for EVERY country to agree and implement a steep, progressive tax on the wealthy. They are meddling with the world’s politics, journalism, news, television, all to their benefit at the expense of the majority of the world’s citizens.
Finally, the so called religious institutions that meddle in our politics need to be taxed.
Thank you for letting me vent! I appreciate your political musings.
Marilyn
Yes, I had realised that Trump’s majority is not as huge as he likes to portray – he won in all the right places but it’s by no means the majority and I should have said that.
Oh I totally agree about taxing the rich. Here in the UK the Labour Party has shot itself in the foot by saying it won’t raise taxes. It certainly should now. Actually this party won’t last until it rectifies its stance which seems to be about growth and business (fine) but is doing nothing for the poor, the vulnerable and the left behind (not fine). Our new very right wing party, Reform, will reap the benefits, but can they govern? And that’s exactly where Trump is falling down – there has been a humungous amount of activity and noise but has it pleased the electorate? I see the polls slumping.
And yet you are right, there is a hard core of MAGA plus Christian followers who are simply ‘believers’. It is so very hard to understand the latter. That is totally crackers and very dark and Upside Down that Christians follow Trump.
Do rant and muse here – you are so welcome.
Thank you Penny for your very thoughtful and erudite analysis. It all seems so dark and one wonders how this will end. Trump’s presidency will end one day, but not before, he has exerted untold misery on so many people’s lives. Not to mention the damage to the infrastructures and reputation of the Unites States. I agree we need to keep informed and not bury our heads in the sand. We have an election here in Wales next year and already “Reform” are very prominent. When people feel left behind and ignored, then that leaves the door open to these opportunist parties that offer an alternative, that on superficial glance appears to be the answer to their problems. “Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing”.
Yes, we must never look at America and feel that this could not ever happen here. You are right that Trump can’t be around for ever, but what a toll he will extract from the States before he goes – its reputation for starters. And then there is the post-war international order.
As for us here. Labour won’t get another term if it carries on with its current stance that the only thing that matters is growth and business. That’s fine, and correct as far as it goes. But what about the poor and vulnerable, the disabled and the sick? And indeed the left behind, who have never had any political party dealing with the collapse of heavy industry and manufacturing in this country and the ramifications thereof. These people are definitely going to vote for Reform. The thing is can Reform govern? It will be interesting to see how Reform looks after Kent, which has a majority after the local elections, and indeed the refugees that come in by boat. Nobody deals with that issue either.
Oh Rowena – we live in interesting times! A bit too interesting I think!
Brilliant as usual – thank you.
The genocide must end!
Thank you Debs, I feel I have to write this down as we must acknowledge the slaughter and look it square in the face. After that , it’s how to stop this genocide. I notice there is a little bit of opposition to the latest ghastliness from Netanyahu – the moving of people – but is that it? Just words?
So difficult and so challenging.
Speaking as one of the people on the other side of the pond…the Upside Down (yes, I know Stranger Things very well)…I wake up every morning wondering what new hell awaits us. I have thought, since Nov. 6, we must be living in an alternative universe. I thought, with every ridiculous nomination, the Senate would find the bollocks (to use your term) to not even put them forward for discussion. I honestly thought trump was playing some kind of game, nominating the most idiotic person for the job, with the idea he’d then nominate a better (though not really much better) person. Of course, he has the Senate as well as the House and, shockingly (I’m not even being sarcastic here) the Supreme Court in his back pocket. They are afraid of what any one word he utters will mean for their careers as that’s all they really care about in the first place. For example, RFK, Jr…what a horrendous selection! I had to check to see if he was really Bobby Kennedy’s son. I couldn’t believe he is. People here are beginning to demonstrate and question their votes. I must point out it’s not really 50% of citizens of the United States voted for the present occupant. The number is closer to 32% or so. More people did not vote for him (or Harris) than did vote…36% of the population who could vote did not. That is a huge problem in this country. But, and this breaks my heart, there are people (friends of mine even) who do support him and are MAGA. Basically, they’re racists…pure and simple. The problem is we are stuck with him and Vance until January 20, 2029. Even if he’s impeached and the Senate voted to remove him, Vance would succeed him. I have a feeling Vance is even more evil as he has an inkling of how government works while trump does not.
Another problem we have here in the US is trump’s apparent conversion to Christianity. I say conversion because I don’t believe he embraced the Bible (figuratively and literally) during his first run. I am a Christian with a deep faith, but the evangelical Christians have cherry picked the Bible to back up every wretched thing they’ve accomplished across this country. I firmly believe Jesus would have been among the homeless, the sex workers, the transgender population, and the drag queens as well as the LGBTQIA+ world. He preached love and forgiveness not what hatred and divisiveness. The Church and the Bible are just tools for trump and his cohorts. You only have to look at the post about him being the new Pope. I don’t think, for one little minute, he wasn’t serious about being the best choice. I think, when history is written, this time period will be seen as one of the worst…coming only after slavery.
As for Israel, I have been wondering for a long time now why we support Israel against the Palestinians. In my mind, what Israel has done is so much worse yet anti-semitism would be screamed from the rooftops if I even brought it up. Thank you for clearing this up for me, or at least as much as it can be cleared up.
I very much appreciate this post and being able to speak about what I think of this current administration and my fears for my country. It’s not the country I taught my students, and it’s not the one I believed in for so many years. I do hope we can get back to the kind country we used to be, but better as we deal with systemic racism and sexism.
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Hi Marsha and it is so good to talk to you as you are the last person I would want to upset. But dear me, what upsetting times we live in! Although looking at the comment below which I will answer shortly, the world has never been a kind place. And we delude ourselves to think there is a ‘normality’ that we should hark back to.
Yes, we now see (on social media but not the news) the town meetings where Americans are protesting and shockingly one woman being carried out for saying something that was really mild (about the constitution being upheld). We also see the marches. And I do agree and should have said, that whileTrump won in all the right places the majority was not as large as he , or some his Cabinet, portrays. Basically there is big divide in the States and many people are as horrified as we are here in Europe.
I totally agree that Trump has to stay as Vance is a very damaged individual (having read his memoir – his childhood…) who is just as dangerous if not more dangerous than Trump.
I have struggled though to understand the hard core of MAGA and do actually get some of their views and where they are coming from. If no-one, and no party, particularly stands up for the de-industrialised states and the lack of jobs, then someone comes along and says he will do something – like the tariffs will bring in jobs, open the mines and drill baby drill… of course they will vote for him. And Trump does speak to them – and they hear.
What I cannot understand and find really hard to accept are the Christians who back him. That really is crackers and they live completely in the dark Upside Down. Of course we all live in our bubbles and while I try to read widely I know there is left bias to my reading. But if one chooses wisely and one listens to people who actually know what they are talking about – it’s mind expanding. What I don’t get is that Trump talks such a dark vision of the States, everything is bad, everybody, every nation does us harm, we are the victims, and the Christians just lap it up. Astonishing. You are so right Jesus preached love, where’s that in Trump’s message?
As for Israel I do think every politician in the West, and most nations in the West (so not only the States), are held back from rational thought and rational analysis by guilt. They do not look at Netanyahu and his government’s current actions, instead they look at history and think, we cannot criticise, we cannot stop, we cannot do anything against Israel because of the Holocaust. Which is truly, truly Upside Down. \When actually Israel has turned itself inside out, and is committing genocide against a people – who they have ‘othered’.
Do listen to this podcast between two really brilliant and thoughtful men Jon Stewart and Rory Stewart on Jon Stewart’s podcast, which is different to his show which is a bit shouty to my English ears!!! There they talk about Europe and the States and its mind-expanding. And kind of made me think of that last paragraph – come back America! Which is what everyone wants. It’s an hour and half but worth every minute of it. You will love it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at-smySDPNU
Thanks so much my American friend – I truly appreciate your thoughts and views
Hi Penny. I am impressed and will come back to your blog. I like your text and a great bibliography. I especially like the fact you pick up, in the first paragraph on the strange way Americans have of usimg the word ‘liberal’. I once sat on an airport bus in DC listening to an Australian trying to explain to an American politican why the Australian Liberal Party was actualy a conservative party. (Answer, they use the economics meaning of ‘Liberal’). You hint at it too, the way Americans use the word Socialist or Democratic Socialist to describe what everyone else calls Social Democrats. Bernie and AOC are both Social Democrats not Socialists. Anyway, enough of that.
What I really wanted to discuss with you is your use of the word ‘normal’. You insist that what is happening currently is not normal. I would ask, when was normal. Was the end of the Victorian era when Britain ruled a quarter of the world ‘normal’? Was the first half of the 20th Century when two world wars destroyed thousands of young (and old) lives ‘normal’? Were the 80s when both Britain and the US were ruled by Thatcher and Reagan, in thrawl to a bunch of monetarist economists like Milton Friedman normal? Slightly earlier came the time of MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) when we all though nuclear war could wipe us out anytime soon ‘normal’. More interestingly was the period 1945 to 1975, which the French call ‘les trente glorieuses’, when Keynesian economics ruled (‘We are all Keynesian now’ – Nixon!) and growth of western countries was at least 3% per annum and financial equiy was at an all time high ‘normal’?
My point? Those of us who are old always think the times when we were younger were normal and the current times are bizarre. These times are no less normal than any other. Let’s not attack Trump and Farage and Vance and the Tech Bros and the right wing podsphere as not normal, lets attack it for being all to normal, too normal like 1933 for example.
Anyway, great article, keep them coming.
Hi Rick and I’m glad you’ve found this blog. I started this some time ago and when it came to Brexit I was writing here every 2 weeks. I’ve slowed down a bit – but right now we cannot, should not look away. And I write partly because I think it is so important to engage and understand what is going on. Who are we to look away? To be citizens of this world we need at the very least to know what is going on.
To answer your points. Yes absolutely this use of the word ‘liberal’ as, ohh too left-wing and woke by far. Oh good grief I do hope I am ‘liberal’ and woke, the latter of which is another word that has been hi-jacked by the right. I must write about that as I should also about the difference between social democrats and socialism.
But I also write with a certain reader in mind. In this piece this person might be a MAGA, well maybe not, as they don’t seem to want to listen to anything. Maybe I’m writing to the born-again Christians, perhaps? So actually this is written not only to order my thoughts, but to attract the attention of people who think in a very binary way – some things are good, and other things are bad . Biden was corrupt and the worst President ever and Trump is incorruptible and the best President you could find. I have actually had a conversation with someone who thinks like that. So it is an upside down world that is binary and Trump’s behaviour is normal and Biden’s was abnormal. Indeed everything that Trump is doing is for the good of the country and the world and so on.
I’ve just been listening to an interview on the radio of the Columbian artist Doris Salcedo. And amidst the wonder of hearing about her creation of her installation in the Tate Modern, Shibboleth, was her many descriptions of the horrors visited on the Columbian people with over 200,000 disappeared between 1985 and 2016. Oh my god there has never been a normal time in this world.
Tbh if you push me I have a very Hobbesian view of the world. A few of us live quite nicely. The majority, their life is brutal, short and nasty.
So this piece was written with the people who see things in a very black and white binary way. And for dramatic effect I kept putting ‘this is not normal’. But I totally accept there never has been an entirely normal and nice time.
Sadly, that is not how the world works.
But hey, I rather enjoyed replying to you – thanks for that!
Hi Penny. I found your blog because Deb Durban sent it to me. I agree with you about engaging – I think many people turned off after seeing the results which initially looked horrific and Republicans emphaised the supposed size of the win but he actually got less than 50% of the votes and I feel now more and more people are fighting back. Keep up the good work. Ric
Was America ever really an ally? Only when it benefited America. It’s always been America first just not quite so openly.
I’m tired of trying to not be antisemitic but any sympathy I had for the Jewish nation has gone. Their response has been totally unacceptable and should not be supported. When any more hostages are released we will no doubt be told they were starved, well yes Israel you are blocking aid to Gaza so what do you expect.
And now I hear we may have to accept chlorinated chicken and hormone injected beef to appease the orange manbaby. Another Brexit benefit. Thank goodness I’m veggie
Was America ever really an ally? Very interesting question. Yes, I think so, as far as it goes and up to a point (sorry that’s quite wooly) . But for 80 years there was a kind of consensus that NATO was important to the security of the West and to Europe. But if you dig down there was also a lot of profit involved with nearly all of us buying American fighter planes, software and so on. And yes, always, America first and foremost.
I just don’t, can’t, believe it is antisemitic to call out Israel. That just isn’t rational. This nation is acting in an appalling manner and we should say it as it is – end of!
It’s sickening to hear that the trade deal ( a bit rushed don’t you think – these things usually take years) is another Brexit benefit. That deal needs to be looked at closely. All the tariffs anyway are nuts.
Thanks Maureen and I too will never buy American chicken!!! Thank goodness we have a butchers close by that tells us which local farm the chicken comes from.
what a thoughtful and through analysis of the situation here. I could never imagine that this could happen in my country, that enough people harbor such evil beliefs could be elected to be our president. And even if something happened to Trump, Vance, and so many, that is to say most pf those he has chosen to govern with him have and even more extreme agenda. I really can’t add any more that you and other responders have already said. Heartbroken.
So sorry Darby, what can I say. Trump is such an irrational type acting in such a surreal un-Presidential manner. From across the pond we watch with open mouths, but I guess so do you!
We have to hope the checks and balances work and the courts uphold your Constitution. But wreaking havoc is what Project 2025 is all about.
The thing is it is easy for us to say it could never happen here, in the UK, but it could as we have a new party Reform that is like a mini-version of the current Republican party. Not sure however, about the calibre of the people in the party, but as they have taken many seats in and Councils in the local elections we can watch how they actually govern local areas.
Well here’s to keeping ourselves sane and well through the next 4 years! We have to double down on our friends, family and cultural activities and get our sustenance and support that way.
Only just read this – 23 July. Even more true now.
Just catching up on this blog Penny, having missed your recent posts. So relevant and so much I agree with. Americans are virtually all descended from immigrants. My English Aunt emigrated to the US as a GI bride in 1946, having married an American whose family had moved there from Greece but this, of course, is just an example.
I have also wondered, like some of the posters in your comments, about the truth of the belief that America has always supported us. I think they have tended to drag their heels and only supported as far as it has suited them to do. In the 2nd World War, they did not enter until 1944, after they experienced the bombing of Pearl Harbour by the Japanese although they were involved in supplying weapons to Britain.
Definitely interesting times we live in or, actually, too interesting.