How does the rest of the world currently perceive the U.S. concerning elections?
The New Yorker released a documentary two weeks ago concerning the perspective of foreign correspondents on the 2020 presidential race. The amount of contempt upstaged any gratifying comments. “It feels like America is at the fault line…this is the end of an era” went one journalist.
An African journalist observed that “the same things that America has been lecturing Africa on, appear to be happening right here at home.”
Is this truly how the rest of the world views the U.S.?
The U.S. was once a highly respected nation. Other nations worked tirelessly to emulate our success. The 2020 election has exacerbated possible skepticism calling into question our democracy amongst other things (ie. climate change, handling of the coronavirus pandemic, wildfires, cost of living, health care etc.).
Following the 2020 election, President Donald Trump and GOP allies have filed several challenges demanding recounts in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada and Pennsylvania alleging voter fraud and irregularities.
This message contradicts that of Kory Langhofer, a Trump campaign lawyer, who said in a court hearing on Nov. 12 that “This is not a fraud case. We are not alleging fraud. We are not saying that anyone is trying to steal the election.”
These messages are inconsistent and may cause confusion and the spread of misinformation.
Please note that in 2018 Vice President Mike Pence claimed that “Venezuela’s election was a sham-not free or fair.” He asserted that the results were illegitimate and the process fake.
How can we be the policemen of elections when our elections are challenged as dubious and illegitimate?
The 2020 election is being compared to the 2000 election in which the Gore campaign demanded a recount in Florida. There was mayhem surrounding the punch-card ballots and canvassers trying to discern the voters’ intent. In the states being challenged by President Trump and GOP allies, Joe Biden is ahead by tens of thousands of votes, not hundreds which was the case in 2000.
A journalist from the same documentary had this to say about the United States. “In many ways you are exceptionally well, you are exceptionally [expletive].”
As one of the oldest democracies in the world, how does this reflect on us? If we doubt internally, what does that say for the rest of the world?
Article by Kennedy Nieves from Winston Churchill High School
Edited by News Editor Dhruv Pai
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons