A President for All Americans
By Anila Ali
Irvine, CA
As the guardians of the free world, we impose our American values of freedom, justice, and democracy on countries that have the lowest literacy rate and know nothing of democratic values, case in point, Pakistan.
We seek to impose our ideologies of neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism, which in turn seek to impose American virtues around the world through any means possible.
The US covertly and overtly influences regime change in other countries, imposes dictators and tyrants, and uproots legitimately elected governments - all for the sake of our national interests and the preservation of American values.
We train, fund and promote the importance of free media in other repressive countries of the world and educate journalists to uphold the freedom of speech.
Yet when a President-elect exercises his right of free speech, we demand restraint. We are so full of double standards that we really need to evaluate our behaviors as all of our words and actions will affect and shape the next generation of Americans and will shape a new world order. The national discourse has become so divisive and chilling that we have no choice but to take sides. Middle ground is no longer safe ground.
As a Muslim, Pakistani-American woman, I stand confused. If I were to adhere to my American values, then they demand a peaceful transition of power from Obama to Trump with respect to the democratic process. The fact that Trump won the electoral college votes and was officially declared a winner makes him our President- elect, right? The talk of his ‘illegitimate presidency’ by many is then hypocritical on the part of same proponents, my fellow Democrats who didn’t hesitate to form a “Friends of a Democratic Pakistan” and spent years promoting democracy in a country by supporting an imposing unpopular leaders.
From the lesson I have learnt from being an American, the most important is that democracy is a process and we must respect the decision of the electoral college. In four years, America can go to polls again and decide their destiny. But for now, President Trump is our president and commander in chief and we must give him a chanceto make us all a part of America’s greatness.
Democracy takes centuries and many sacrifices to take root and to question the legitimacy of a democratically elected president dismisses the sacrifices of our freedom fighter, founding fathers. If anyone is to be afraid of a Trump presidency, it should be me, Muslim, woman, Pakistani. But I have learned my democratic lesson only too well and so I hope that the new President will be a President for all of us. I trust there are checks and balances and most importantly, a free media that can be the voice of all people and can help protect the integrity of our democratic processes. (The author is President of the American Muslim Women’s Empowerment Council)
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