AMERICA IN THE TIME OF TRUMP Special Edition
May 2018
Dear readers,
It’s been over a year since Donald Trump’s inauguration as 45th President of the United States of America. The repercussions of this election have been felt across the globe and here in France we have decided to turn our attention to the home of the brave and its controversial President in order to take stock of the situation.
We are embarking on a journey which will take you from Trump’s childhood, the tale of which is told by Gabrielle Colas in her tremendous bedtime story, to the case of an ordinary French boy swept up in the American far-right from the perspective of one of his friends, Rayan Dequin. On the way we will explore Trump’s relationship with religion with Solène Garnier de Boisgrollier and Antoine Larcher, from the President’s recent stance on his “heavenly Jerusalem” to the massive support he has received from the American Evangelical population.
We will also try to make sense of Trump’s stance on gun control with Manon Fossemale. If Trump’s policies are sometimes hard to understand, it may be due to his infamous style of speech but Milena Kerner is here to help you make sense of it all with an analysis of his use of language.
We will also look to certain groups who have felt attacked and subsequently retaliated against Trump, with Tatiana Wegner’s piece on feminism and Charlyze Anguiley’s article on politically engaged hip-hop.
Have a good trip.
America in the time of Trump
May 2018
Trump’s childhood to become official bedtime story for 3 to 11 year olds
By Gabrielle Colas on March 21st, 2018
Picture from TheGuardian.com
Rumours from trusted informants of the White House have surfaced regarding the latest legislative initiative taken by Mr Trump and his government. Whilst some voters have been patiently waiting for promised economic reform or official updates on the American government’s stance on immigration, it is said that the President will officially announce his latest political stunt in the next couple of days on his certified Twitter account. According to the White House’s PR team, this will be the American government’s greatest initiative since its historically rapid response to the disastrous Hurricane Katrina under Bush in 2005.
Officials claim that Trump is still hesitating on whether he should announce if Stephen King or J.K Rowling were the chosen authors of his official bedtime biography. The government claims that parents will have to choose between Trump’s biography and his book “Think like a Champion: An informal education in Business and Life.” to read to their young loved ones before they fall asleep.
A “coincidental” leak of the bedtime story spread across the internet late last night, and a general public frenzy has since flourished. Luckily the editors of our newspaper were able to get their hands on it before it was too late:
The tale of Donald J Trump By Unknown
“ nce Upon a Time, O A young boy of unverified Swedish ancestry was wandering the busy streets of Manhattan with his best friend. This boy, named Donny, was tall, handsome and had signature luscious tangerine locks. Donny was known for his gloat worthy qualities and the fact that no one knew more than this young man. Donny’s dream was to become the spitting image of his father Fred Trump the king of real estate development of the East Coast. Donald had ideals of becoming the anti-dark skinned, rumoured Ku Klux Klan rally attending, and failure to house people of colour in his properties businessman his father embodied. Fred Trump was so notorious for his accomplishments in the racially discriminatory “squad” of the 1950s, that singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie wrote a song about his profits off racism in real estate titled “I Ain’t Got No Home” which clearly depicted that African American tenants were not welcome in Mr Trumps beautiful, lavish and posh housing. What was there that Donny shouldn’t admire about his father’s xenophobic and narrow-minded entrepreneurial ascent?
Whilst Donny and his friend returned home from the Big City after purchasing “dainty” switchblades, Mr Trump, the king of real estate development discovered that his precious obedient and favourite son has disobeyed the strict rules of his kingdom. What was he to do to discipline his son? Fred Trump shunned Donny from his only home and sent him off to the intimidating New York Military Academy. Donny was yanked out of his serene life and packed off to a boarding school, left with the weight of his father’s disappointment on his two small privileged shoulders. Life in the academy was atrocious and Donny had to endure a tough regime of early mornings and difficult chores. Luckily, after wishing upon star after star every night before going to bed (well those he could see under the bustling pollution in the city of New York), Donny found hope.
His hope was none other than Norman Vincent Peale the pastor of the Positive Thinking Church. Peale had always been a part of Donny’s life, yet during his stay at the Academy the boy finally realised how much he needed his fairy godmother. Peale/ Donny’s fairy godmother, preached sermons about having faith in oneself, and of stamping indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself succeeding. Peale taught Donny that “- any fact facing us, however difficult, even seemingly hopeless, is not so important as our attitude toward that fact, adding - a confident and optimistic thought pattern can modify or
overcome the fact altogether.” Peale was able to give Donny the last 000,1 percent of confidence he didn’t already have.
Donny became a legendary icon in his Academy. His peers and his mentors recognized his innate drive and his ability to persuade himself and others that he was number one. It was said that Donny embodied something greater, that there was an air about him which showed that he was just in the academy passing time and that he would go on to something greater. Donny’s fairy godmother also trained his disciple in the art of projection, a technique which is often affiliated with Adolf Hitler’s speeches. This political mannerism is a defence mechanism by which the ego of an individual defends itself against unpleasant impulses, tendencies or characteristics by denying their existence in themselves while attributing them to others. This quality has followed Donny throughout his life and has enabled him to achieve great deceitful actions in his future economic and political successes.
After overcoming the Military Academy of New York and his father’s abandonment thanks to the positive ideology Donny’s fairy godmother Vincent Peale established for his prodigy, the young man was able to flourish and achieve a self-made tycoon’s dreams. He made the Forbes World’s Billionaires list at the young age of 43, became joint partner with NBC in the nineties, had his own Emmy nominated reality television series, his own restaurant chain, a star on the Hollywood walk of fame, three happy marriages, and a board game.
Someone asked Donny if he thought he was a genius and he decided to say yes. Why not? Try it out. Tell yourself that you are a genius. That was the philosophy that got Donny the success he deserved. Now to live happily ever after, Donny had only one more dream to achieve: Become President of the United States of America.”
The official bedtime autobiography is set to release in stores and national libraries in July 2018, just after the President’s birthday. Trump’s childhood certainly embodies an enthrallingly mundane and monotonous fairy-tale which will inevitably put any child to sleep.
Exporting Nation Rayan Dequin, 28th March 2018
Neo-conservatism, also known for its multiple variations and evolutions across social medias as the “alt-right”, was defined in 1973 by its first “intellectual”, Irving Kristol, an old Trotskyist who became the spearhead and creator of this ideology, as a fight for culture which takes place over a battle for “turning intellect into influence” (“Les Nécoconservateurs”, Juliette Grange, Agora, 2017).
This ideology, standing above the values of a Christianity-rooted society, defends ultra-right and ultra-liberal positions all across America and current Europe through the cultural spreading of their beliefs in the academic and literary fields. But the main forces of neo-conservatism are founded on the cultural recipient of their propaganda, an amorphous mass of movements, micro-party and other far-right organizations and associations swarming on social media.
Among those, and despite the will of the neocons to fight against protectionism and isolationism (they wish for an American Empire through both hard and soft powers), remain the Facebook pages and groups, Twitter account and bloggers which, with the help of freedom of speech on the internet has, managed to raise an army of voters to make Trump their president.
Those ideological manifestations across the different platforms proposed by Facebook or Twitter gave birth to micro- ideology formations more or less linked to bigger intellectual movements like anarcho-capitalism, paleo-conservatives etc. But their size and reach, despite their appearance, are far more powerful than it may seem. Through the uptake of a generation of young white supremacists or crypto-supremacists, they have managed to implement themselves into a self-assuming far-right ideology and the daily life of western citizens.
“Among the people absorbed by neo-conservatism through the intermediary of those social-media-entities was one of my closest friends, Ludwig.”
Among the people absorbed by neo-conservatism through the intermediary of those social-media-entities was one of my closest friends, Ludwig. “Was” because one could not see in the uptake of his values and belief system the influence of faith only; rather than a simplifying teleology, I would like to propose with this article a view that proposes ideological turn - began with neo-conservatism spreading – to be nothing but a socio-political randomness, and that whatever was tied by the streng of chance could still be turned again through the help of culture.
Yet indeed, my friend Ludwig was born into a far-right family which, in spite of its political investment, did share with him their traditional and liberal views. This soil on which the root of a potential adhesion to neo-cons principles grew is not to be taken lightly, but it is his later journey across the deepest sides of far-right that I would like us to focus on.
In the late summer of 2016, at the age of 20, my friend Ludwig converted to Catholicism for the first time, meaning he was not christened in his childhood. He had never been interested into politics before in his life, despite the short yet intense “teenage-communism” as he called it, and was not aware of any political view, party or policy. Yet, to draw inspiration in German sociologist Karl Mannheim (who defined ideology in his magnum opus, Ideology and Utopia, 1929), an ideology is a universe of signifying ideas, symbols and signs permanently reaching for the entire definition of ones Weltanschauung (perception of reality).
Therefore, as his conversion to Catholicism meant his adhesion “in act and affect” to an Ideology (in its widest meaning, including religions, thinking-systems etc.), his values and new representations of reality had, through the determination of faith, to conceive the political field, to produce an opinion about it and then, to finally engage politically.
But let it be clear: I’m not saying here that every catholic or any other religious person has to invest himself into politics to serve his beliefs. Rather than attacking every believers and rejecting their faith into pejoration, I’m trying to say that it is in the deep roots of his conversion process, thanks to the soil of his education, that Ludwig was predisposed to potentially adhere to this ideology and its different forms. Therefore his adhesion should not be considered as some kind of inevitable fate, but rather as a random possibility in the idiosyncratic manifestations of culture and society.
Ludwig, like every other individual sucked into such ideological movements, is not responsible for his “turning”. It is not a crime to adhere to an ideology, yet it is a crime to support violent and racist views, and the frontier is never far to be crossed.
This needle-thread ideology which plays on both intellectual propaganda and underground support for dangerous (or even criminal) group sides implies a better understanding of how small communities on the internet can quickly turn political humor and caricature into dangerous and sometimes fanatical micro ideological group.
Ludwig, during the American election of 2016 and later the French election of 2017, “got into politics” as one would say. He supported the right candidate for the presidential, and then voted for the far-right party, Le Front National, and its leader Marine Le Pen. But in 2016, while he was getting more and more invested in political humor on the internet and his catholic conversion, his adhesion to humor-content-dedicated groups on Facebook led him to a sharp edge where falling into real fanatical fascism was clearly a possibility.
Ludwig joined two groups: Pinochet’s dank memes and Fashy Dreams, both dedicated to sharing memes about far- right figures and ideas without ever talking about itself politics directly. Yet after growing to 25 000 members in a few weeks during the winter of 2016, Fashy Dreams, the main group Ludwig followed, saw a small portion of its administrators decide to organize a “purge” during which members had to denounce the individuals who didn’t correspond to the new standards decided upon after the overtaking. This veritable “collaboration” with fascist administrators to “purge” the group from the “degenerated” (using their words) was a real time simulation about how a small group of people lead by a slow adhesion through humor to political ideas can fall into fanatical views, exactly as Todd Strasser’s The Wave told the story of a small group of high-school students falling under the control of a teachers social experiment.
After the power was taken by these new administrators and the purge complete, the group started to focus on political matter only and ultimately abandoned humor content. At this moment of their “turning”, there were only 3 000 members left in opposition to the 25 000 apex of their demography. Members started to share the work of fascist and other far-right thinkers and intellectuals on the group ; they started to share thoughts about their principles and values, and slowly but surely began to embrace their identification with this old political fashion that fascism was.
One thing is left to clarify with the purge: Ludwig was not kept in the group thanks to his literal and explicit adhesion to their beliefs (he refers to this period as a “curiosity experimentation”) but because he “posted” and shared so rarely on the group that he was literally… forgotten.
In the end, as their “political faith” grew stronger and their investment in alt-right rally like the ones in Charlottesville or Berkeley grew more intense, their administrator in chief, responsible for the group adhesion to what they called actual “Nazism”, got arrested by the FBI. Many other eminent members lost their jobs due to their affinity to the groups and pages affiliated with the Alt-right, and Fashy Dreams slowly disappeared in the Facebook cemetery of dead communities.
What is left to understand with Fashy Dream’s history is how a small group of neo-nazis came to the point where they had enough logistic skill and will to insure the organization of militant groups all over the world, from Greece to Australia, including United States and the whole of Europe. Because what was not mentioned before in this short chronology of Ludwig’s downfall into radicalism was the international aspect of those communities.
“Despite its American nationalist claims, Fashy Dream managed to encourage and organize political cells all over the world, each and every one of them assuming their own ideology and their identities as Nazis.”
Despite its American nationalist claims, Fashy Dream managed to encourage and organize political cells all over the world, each and every one of them assuming their own ideology and their identities as Nazis.
According to Ludwig, despite the different and opposite forms of nationalism that made up the group, the common hatred for “leftist”, “gays”, “Jews”, “inferior races” and “feminists” led to an alliance of a new kind. Uniting the most isolationist, ethnocentrist, racist and nationalist individuals into a common alliance against the subjects of their hatred necessitated the back-up of a strong ideology – neo-conservatism – and the slow yet powerful transmutation of values and representations that led to the acceptability of Nazism and other extremes as a possible answer to political questions.
If Ludwig did stop any form of contact he may have had with those far-right groups, his ideas, representations of Christianity and piety and political views were strongly altered by a “curiosity” that found its limits in the adhesion of David Duke (Grand Wizard of the KKK) to the group. Finally, despite the absence of contact with a community that took part in his socialization as a confirmed far-right sympathizer, Ludwig was so absorbed by the ideology he joined, “pushed by his faith” to join traditionalism, that his vision of God and religion was affected in return. While I’m writing this article, his positions with immigrants, gay marriage and “leftists” haven’t changed, and even though he happens to use the terms “race” and “degeneration” sometimes, he seems to have cooled down his ardor with the most borderline of his past ideas.
In conclusion, my fear for his future joins with the experimentation of a quick yet deep transformation to alert me and any one reading such a story: those ideologies remain a strong thinking-system, able to capture and absorb entire conceptions of reality. They should be taken seriously, even though all they appear to do is agitate memes. Behind this humor hides a potential turn into first degree adhesion, and the risk for any of us to face a friend or family member who silently yet surely becomes the enemy we thought defeated.
Stay alert !
Trump and his “heavenly Jerusalem”
“Jerusalem is Israel’s capital”, declared Donald Trump in December.
Solène Garnier de Boisgrollier, 21st March 2018
Trump and the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Speaking at the White House, the U.S. President said he had "judged this course of action to be in the best interests of the United States of America, and the pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestinians". He added that he would move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital puts the U.S. at odds with the rest of international community’s view on its status. It is an action that past U.S. presidents have also promised but never delivered on because of its politically charged symbolism.
One factor in President Trump’s decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem was his and the Israeli Prime Minister’s conviction that the Iran deal failed to cover Iran’s ballistic missile program or its support for anti-Israel militants in the region. Consequently, Israelis see the embassy move as a victory, but it has led some Palestinians to lash out. To Palestinians see this decision as a humiliation. They are fighting for recognition and claim East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. Since the inception of Israel in 1948, the international community has maintained that this “status” should be negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians in the final stages of peace talks for a two- state solution. After the annexation of East Jerusalem, the Palestinian side of the city, Israel proclaimed the entire city, “eternal and indivisible”, as its capital. The UN has never recognized this annexation. Trump and the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu
The hope for a two-state solution was also undermined by the Israeli Parliament’s passage of a bill that would complicate the transition to Palestinian sovereignty of some areas of Jerusalem. To the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, the American president’s announcement is “deplorable”, adding that the US could no longer be a peace broker. This decision could have terrible consequences in the region and could damage American relations with other Arab nations. Despite many people in the world being confused about the location of the capital of Israel, the Palestinians maintain that Donald Trump doesn’t have the right to declare it to be Jerusalem.
Donald Trump also said that recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital was "nothing more or less than a recognition of reality". But, the “reality” of what? Of economic wealth? Of the domination of the region’s most powerful army? Of an endangered diplomacy? Of the pressure from the AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) lobby? Or the reality of further aggravating a seemingly endless conflict? To echo Hamlet: that is the question. All conflicts eventually result in winners and losers. This decision may be the tragic answer to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel has confirmed the undivided and unquestioning support of the U.S. and the Palestinians have lost the hope for a just and impartial partner in the peace talks.
Donald Trump has transformed the possibility of peace in a political conflict to a religious dispute.
American Politics: Under the Evangelical Influence
Antoine Larcher, 21st March 2018 Nowadays the U.S. has the greatest Evangelical How do Evangelical influence politics in the United concentration with 92 million worshippers, that is States? What do they claim? To what extent can we to say near 30 percent of their population. talk about a separation between Church and State in 30million of them are charismatic or Pentecostal, America? What does all of this mean for Americans an even more radical form of Evangelism. who call themselves secular humanists? Or those Evangelism is the first religion in United States in who believe in God but feel that our democracy respect of numbers of worshippers as well as depends on a clear delineation between Church and founding of the American ethic. Max Weber and State? Alexis de Tocqueville whom interested to the American culture reported the bond between Using essays and articles but also extracts from the Protestantism and capitalist ethic. American Evangelical media, we will try to answer these questions and understand the political This commonwealth embodies a conservative decision of America with to. First, we are going to counterculture comprised often of millions of have a glimpse of the history of Evangelical Evangelical Christians who feel engaged in a culture commonwealth in the U.S. and the extent to which war with what they perceive as immorality and it has evolved nowadays. Then we will see what they godless liberalism. They often consume their own claim in regard of their worship, before focusing on news and popular culture via Evangelical media the extent to which they wield power on a local level including television, radio, and blogs, and carefully as well at the White House. expose their children both to a literal interpretation of the Bible and a call to political activism. So, their To start with, the etymology of the term political project isn’t only about preparing for Jesus “Evangelical” -which is a subculture of to come back, but to “take back America for Protestantism- comes from the Greek “evangel,” Christ”. meaning the “good news,” or “the Gospel”. Nowadays Evangelicals are a very diverse Evangelicals political figures frequently oppose to group that includes, among others, Southern same sex marriage and abortion like the Baptists, Mennonites, Holiness groups, conservative republican Michele Bachmann, a Pentecostals, and a number of groups who belong former member of the House of Representative, to non-denominational churches. who has created a clinic supposed to “cure” homosexuality.
Abortion is one of the main issues for Evangelicals, second return of God but her consideration is more and many of them are seeking for a president who about preaching sanctimoniously about sins and will forbid this practice as Franklin Graham, an our duty to god. Her teaching, which is very Christian Evangelist and missionary, said: “Some political and pragmatic seems like indoctrination. candidates have entire political ads talking about In her preaching she tells children they should be how they spent their career fighting for the rights of like “soldiers of in the army of god”. She also children. Yet they spent their entire career fighting prohibits the reading of Harry Potter because he’s a against the rights of unborn children! Since Roe warlock, and according to her “warlocks are Wade in 1973, it is estimated that over 58 million enemies of god”. children have been killed by abortion in this country. Doesn’t an unborn child have any right to live? God’s Word says He knew us in our mother's womb. We need to hold politicians and political parties accountable for consistent positions. You can’t say you’ve spent your life standing up for children when you support killing them in the womb.”
This influence of Evangelism upon politics isn’t something new: from the first settlers who had founded their values on Protestant values to the duty for the American president to swear on the Bible, religion has always played a major role in politics. This point of view put down roots into people’s minds: Jerry Falwell, a leader of the religious right, claimed that the notion that religion In a documentary by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady and politics should be kept apart “was invented by named after the Pencostal summer camp “Jesus the Devil to keep Christians from running their own Camp”, we can see the main character of the film, country.” Becky Fisher, preaching in front of kids against abortion. Her discourse is very crude and guilt- In fact, nowadays, Evangelicals make up nearly a inducing. She illustrates her argument with sort of quarter of the American population. They are also tiny fake embryos dolls at different stages of the the most American of religious groups, and during pregnancy. What is very traumatizing in this scene the nineteenth century they exerted a dominant is the outline of the faces of babies on these dolls as influence on American culture, morals, and politics. if the baby was fully developed only two weeks after Even if the United States was becoming a more its conception. Becky Fisher also preaches for the secular nation, many Evangelicals, led by the
Christian conservative right (indeed the G.O.P.), Over the years, Evangelical Christians have become have fought to reverse the trend since the 1980’s, increasingly active in politics. Although the born- and while they have not entirely succeeded, they again population constituted 38% of Americans, it have reintroduced religion into public discourse, represented 53% of the votes cast in the 2004 polarized the nation, and profoundly changed Presidential election. American politics. Ronald Reagan was also surrounded by Evangelical Frances Fitzgerald throughout her essay, “The counselors, Jimmy Carter describes himself as a Evangelicals: The Struggle to Shape America “, born-again Christian. And George Bush, a born- explains how, over time, the conservative again Christian, has benefited from Evangelical Evangelical vision of spiritual liberty fused with support. In the 2004 election over 40 % of all votes free-market ideology. Recent research has called for Bush came from Evangelical Christians. So it is attention to the collaborative efforts of capitalists unlikely for a candidate to be elected if they aren’t and Evangelical ministers to convince Americans accepted by the evangelical commonwealth. that the free market is sacred. In the late 19th century, Darren E. Grem notes in “The Blessings of Even if Donald Trump has declared that the Bible is Business” (2016), that businessmen recruited his favorite book, it is difficult to see him as a good Evangelical organizations to help them pacify a Christian. Nonetheless, Donald Trump, in regard restive labor force. “Either these people are to be of his golden boy reputation, may embody the evangelized, or the leaven of communism and American Dream and the Evangelical concept infidelity will assume such enormous proportions of being « born again » at the same time. The that it will break out in a reign of terror such as this Christian Evangelist and missionary Franklin country has never known,” warned the Evangelist Graham’s opinion about Trump perfectly embodies Dwight Moody in 1886. the feeling of Trump's redemption that seduced the Evangelical vote: shortly before the elections, Many white Evangelicals feared they were losing Franklin Graham declared that the best choice for control over the nation’s culture. By redistributing president “isn’t difficult to figure out if you are a wealth to the poor, the New Deal threatened to Christian,”. He was of course referring to the undermine that authority even further. Opposition G.O.P. candidate Donald Trump. to Soviet Russia provided a perfect rallying cry: The country represented the godless, totalitarian end Franklin Graham also proclaims: “For these states toward which the New Deal might lead. to go the way they did, in my opinion, I think it was the hand of God, it wasn’t hacking. It wasn’t Wiki- So, if Evangelism would be the opium of people, it is leaky or whatever. It was God, in my opinion, and I also a bulwark against communism and a medium believe his hand was at work, and I think he’s given of the capitalism work ethic. It is important to notice Christians an opportunity. You may have to hold a shift in values, ever since, pragmatism has your nose and vote. I have people that say, ‘Well I displaced purity. don’t like Donald Trump, I don’t like what he says.’ Well I don’t like what he said either, I promise I
don’t like it. But those are things that he said 11 Christian humility may be considered as a good years ago, not something that he said today. I think Christian. Donald Trump has changed, I think God is working Nevertheless, Donald Trump acts like a redeemed on his heart and in his life.” man and now claims the Bible is his favorite book. In fact, he also set up an Evangelist board of courses in May 2016 during the campaign to surround himself with many renowned Evangelical figures such as the televangelist Pastor Paula White, Mike Pence and to state his attachment to Christian values. And we can guess this strategy has paid off in regard of the 80% of the Evangelical community which voted for him. Frances FitzGerald settles on the last of these assessments. “the simplest Donald Trump has never formally addressed to explanation was that those Evangelicals who voted Evangelists through his speech but his closeness for Trump had affinities with the Tea Party,” with them is undeniable. He grew up in the « Health and Wealth », an Evangelical subculture which But she also supposes that if Trump gathered the praises for materialistic achievements as a Evangelicals, it is because they have sometimes promotion or wealth. If this prosperity gospel may shown a strong preference for leaders who demand seem shallow, for their worshippers it means that unquestioning obedience—and who, like Trump, the material world has “a miraculous, God-filled consider disagreement a form of disloyalty. quality.” But he also had to fulfill his obligation to As well as Nixon, Trump has surrounded himself Evangelical poll which trusted him to champion with an evangelist board composed by Mike Pence Christian values. Indeed, a recent survey shows that known to be notably creationist and pro-life, but positive perceptions of the country of Israel are also Paula White, often called President Trump's strongest among those aged 65+. Millennials show spiritual adviser and televangelist. significantly less support for Israel than their parents’ and grandparents’ age groups. The 41 And because their vote wields a lot for the election, percent of white Evangelicals that own a gun candidates need to show their willingness to appear surpasses the 33 percent of white mainliners, and to the Evangelical community. It is pretty much the 32 percent of the religiously unsustainable to be elected without the Evangelical unaffiliated offshoots. “When you think of the support. Donald Trump probably understood that, modern rebirth of the State of Israel in 1948 and the and he had to claim his attachment to Christianity re-gathering of millions of Jewish people to Israel”, even though he was known for his playboy image. 80% say these events were fulfillments of biblical It’s pretty hard to believe that a business man who is prophecy that show we are getting closer to the famous for his scandals and divorces and not return of Jesus Christ.
Indeed, Donald Trump honored their vote: he administration, and for a lasting peace in Israel and asserted his Zionism by the recognition of throughout the Middle East.” Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Israel. This decision was praised by Evangelicals whereas the Johnnie Moore, the de facto spokesman for international community condemned it as putting Trump's informal group of Evangelical advisers, fuel on the fire. Actually, this recognition is very said Jerusalem's status was a key part of the significant in regard of the Bible which says Jews President's outreach to Evangelical voters. have to get back their holy land after their exil until the Messiah comes back to earth. So, if the "This issue was -- to many -- second only to Evangelicals want Jesus to return, they have to concerns about the judiciary among the President's support the state of Israel, and so this is what core Evangelical supporters. According to Moore, America has been doing since the first world war. president Trump has - yet again - demonstrated to his Evangelical supporters that he will do what he says he will do.”
Dr. James Dobson issues the following statement in response to President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city: “Throughout the years, I have had the great privilege of serving and advising political leaders at all levels of government, and yet, I have witnessed many promises made concerning Israel that were never fulfilled. With the decision to formally recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, President Trump stands apart, once again demonstrating that he intends to keep his promises to the American people. I am greatly encouraged by this declaration and believe that America is always stronger when it stands firmly behind its allies, especially when it comes to the Jewish people and the land of Israel. Please join me in praying for continued wisdom for President Trump and this
it was a gift, a mentally ill person can purchase one if Donald Trump on they but it from a private seller, and the list goes on.
Gun Control Gun ownership in the United States
Manon Fossemale, 21st March 2018 It is more than likely that whatever position Trump chooses, nothing is going to drastically change A quick look at the President’s because Americans have mixed feelings that he has to perspective on the issue contend with.
Guns are deeply rooted in the American culture, and several revealing polls show how much they are. According to a 2017 study led by the PEW Research Center, 72% of adults have already shot a gun. 42% of Americans live in a household with a gun, whether it’s theirs or a relative’s. Among those people, surveys found that three quarters could never see themselves not owning a gun, and the same number of people say
©BBC the right to own guns is essential to their freedom and feeling of being safe. Also who has not noticed how Americans are known for their love-hate relationship often guns are shown in Hollywood movies (The with guns. The Second Amendment that allows them Godfather, Taxi Driver, Boys n the Hood, Taken, Mr. to keep and bear one (or several) was implemented in and Mrs. Smith, James Bond, The Hateful Eight, to 1791. It has been the source of contentious debate name a few, but the list could go on for pages) ? ever since, due to the death of thirty thousand each year. In what direction is Donald Trump going to steer the discussion? Americans do take their guns seriously and gun
enthusiasts have a loud political presence. They argue Current Public Policy that more guns make the country safer. The National
Rifle Association (also referred to as the NRA) is the The following criteria are those you need to fulfill in main organization that is fighting to preserve free order to legally buy a firearm in the United States. You access to guns : five million members, a $450 million need to be at least 18 (or a little older, depending on yearly budget and almost one hundred fifty years of the State you live in). Your criminal record must be service are all reasons why their influence remains free of jailbreak charges, a prison sentence of more unquestioned. The NRA managed to establish its than one year. You must not have been committed to a authority and set up a whole lobby that puts massive mental hospital. All this information is submitted to a amounts of pressure on Congress, which makes it “background check”. nearly impossible to toughen gun control.
The official weapons sellers, that is to say those who On the other hand, anti-gun militants are advocating want to make profit from this activity, must have a for stricter gun control, regulation, background license, match the above-mentioned requirements, checks and an assault weapons ban… Huffington Post and pay a fee. reported that almost half of Americans are in favor of a In practice, the law is quite loose and gun control is change in the Constitution, mainly restrictive. They undermined by loopholes. A teenager can own a gun if are not gathered in a big association, but they still find described Paddock, the Las Vegas shooter, as a “very a way to be heard – for want of actually being listened very sick individual”, a “demented man”. Kelley, the to. one from Texas, was described as someone who had “a mental health at the highest level”. While a call for Donald Trump’s stance better mental healthcare seems reasonable, should it really put gun violence in the shade? According to As surprising as it may sound today, the President has Donald Trump, yes it should. “This isn’t a gun not always been in favor of free gun access. His situation”, he said about Kelley. He barely mentioned outlook on the issue has elvoved overtime. Back in guns at all during the roughly 6-minute speech he gave 2000, he wrote in The America we Deserve that after Douglas Stoneman High School. Indeed, “new Republicans were “walking the NRA line” and that he [gun] laws won't stop a mad man”, but “will curtail the was not, since he advocated for some control freedoms of law abiding citizens”. measures. Twelve years later, after the Sandy Hook Hence his offer to train and arm teachers in schools in rampage, Trump supported Obama’s remarks about order to protect students. tighter gun control. The aforementioned students did react to what took Fast forward to 2015. As the electoral campaign was place in their school, and they do not seem to agree. starting, he seemed to have changed his mind. The They are definitely speaking out in favor of gun Republican candidate declared himself a “very big control. Despite - or perhaps thanks to - their young Second Amendment person”. He stated that the more age and traumatic experience, they have managed to guns people will have, the fewer mass shootings will set up a whole social movement. Students all across occur (remember “the only way to stop a bad guy with the country created the hashtag #NeverAgain, that a gun is a good guy with a gun” ? We owe this speaks for itself and that was widely spread in the US quotation to Wayne LaPierre, vice-president of the and abroad. They delivered speeches. They staged a NRA). He argued during an interview that the US protest at the White House. They got so much already had “tremendous” regulations on guns. He attention from the media that some of their Twitter said he was the “true friend and champion” of the accounts got « certified ». And they got a lot of support NRA, which eventually endorsed him and gave him the from celebrities, famous universities, victims of past mere sum of $30 million. Over his meetings he said shootings, and more ordinary people from everywhere various other things, somewhat contradictory in the world. They contributed in getting the law sometimes, but it seems like he is trapped now. changed in Florida, very recently. The telling example of mass shootings This may show – but this is no more than a hypothesis Three people have gone on a rampage since Donald – that the young generation feels more concerned Trump was elected, the first one was in Las Vegas, about gun violence than its elders, and – yet another Nevada, in October 2017 in which 58 people died. In hypothesis – that they will make things change when it Sutherland Springs (TX) church a month later, the is their turn. shooter killed 26. Then a month ago in Douglas Stoneman High School, Florida, 17 people (mainly teenagers) lost their lives. President Donald Trump and citizens had various reactions, all strong, because mass shootings are the most shocking news linked to gun violence.
Trump seems to focus on the mental health issue. He
use of language is the fact that he does not sound Rambling like a president. Lose presidential. His casual register, unsophisticated the grammar and Trump it up! vocabulary and his simple or even absent grammar By Milena Kerner, 21st March 2018 structures seem to clash with the formal contexts of his speeches. Whilst for a large part of the population this Mastering public speech seems to be at the heart of constitutes a matter of great concern and a clear sign American culture. Ralph Waldo Emerson, core figure that he is not fit to be the president of the United States, of one of the first American schools of thought, had for others it is actually a positive thing. Could a famously said “Speech is power: speech is to persuade, somewhat incoherent use of language and a limited to convert, to compel”. Indeed, people looking for vocabulary have actually worked in his favour? Or were positions of power, namely politicians, have his voters going to support him no matter what he said, traditionally tried to excel at the art of public speaking. without any effort of persuasion needed? In any case, A skilful use of language can allow political candidates his speech patterns and word choice are distinctive to gain more votes and therefore more power, which traits of his public persona and it has raised curiosity, could ultimately legitimate their authority. bewilderment and even utter confusion.
However, the current situation in the United Stated A divisive idiolect. seems to challenge every notion American people had about the link between language and power and above The sociolinguist Jennifer Sclafani acknowledges the all, the manner in which a president should speak. One fact that Donald Trump appears to have a very specific of the most frequent remarks about Donald Trump’s idiolect, that is to say, “an idiosyncratic form of
language that is unique to an individual”1. This notion appeared the most often in his speeches, over the first is particularly relevant in politics because public figures three months of his presidency2. are essentially judged on talk. Sclafani goes on to The phrase that makes the top of the list, having been explain that what makes Trump’s idiolect so unique is repeated in 26 speeches, is “believe me”. This can only the reaction it provokes on his listeners, especially be reassuring to people who already trust and believe when paired with his egocentric personality. People him but to everyone else, it might sound like a who react negatively to Trump’s idiolect would typically desperate command from someone who is simply just say that it does not make any sense and that he uses a lot not credible. In any case, it is an expression that does of small words. On the other hand, his supporters not have a clear significance, which is also the case for would say that his idiolect makes him sound authentic “a lot of money”, said in nine speeches. It is a vague or relatable. His seemingly unrehearsed style seems to phrase that is coherent with Trump’s predilection for give the impression that Trump is speaking for himself speaking in generalities and at the same time it shows and that he has not paid someone to write him a speech. the critical importance he gives to money.
The good, the bad and the tremendous. Amongst some of the words he has a tendency to repeat there are certain ones that seem significant when paired This impression of authenticity is reinforced by the fact together. For example, “win” and “loser” frequently that he seems to always use the same expressions, which appear in statements like “You'll never get bored with have sort of become his trademark. These words could winning” and “I would like to extend my best wishes to give us an insight into his worldview and also explain all, even the haters and losers, on this special date, the reason why he triggers such strong reactions in September 11th”. It would appear that the idea of people. CNN editors Aaron Kessler and Brandon winning represents for Trump an ideal way of life and Griggs have put together, with the help of Jennifer more specifically, his own way of life. Indeed, he has a Slafani, a list featuring the words and phrases that have tendency to boast about his wealth in order to show that he is a “winner”. Conversely, the notion of “loser” is
1 Jennifer Sclafani, “The Idiolect of Donald 2 AJ Willingham, Aaron Kessler, Brandon Griggs, Trump”, Scientific American, March 25th 2016. “The two-word phrase President Trump relies on most”, CNN, April 21st 2017. usually associated with the others, the “haters”, the his claim that nobody is "better to people with people who embody a lifestyle removed from his own disabilities", uttered after Trump mocked a New York convictions. When talking about John McCain, he says Times reporter with a disability from the podium at a “I don’t like losers”. These two words, winning and rally. Thus, his fondness for superlatives not only losing, constitute a clear example of his dualistic expresses a simplistic worldview, where nuances are outlook, which means a tendency to reduce every completely lost, but could also be part of a defense notion to a good thing or a bad thing. The same analysis mechanism or even better, an indicator of a certain could be applied to his usage of “weak” and “strong”, degree of narcissism. in sentences like “I am strong, politicians are weak”. Again, he defines himself using positive terms which he Trumpisms: just like us or stranger than fiction? opposes to the words defining his opponents. Additionally, all these terms frame everything as a Trump’s overuse of superlatives could make us wonder challenge, a competition to be won, which seems to about his mental health. Linguist John McWhorter echo Trump's business background. raises a key issue: is Trump’s use of language simply incoherent or does it resemble ordinary speech more Superlatives: don’t stop ‘til you get enough. than we think? Indeed, it has been widely noted that one of the most characteristic “Trumpisms” – to use Karl Equally, much has been said about Trump’s use of Simms’ expression – is what linguists call “discourse superlatives. A popular video on YouTube called markers”, that is to say, words like “anyway”, “so”, “Trump is the best at everything” shows multiple “you know”, etc4. The overuse of such expressions in a instances where the businessman turned president calls formal context, namely a political speech, can make the himself “the best” at something, from being “the best speaker seem incoherent, whereas in ordinary thing that could ever happen to Israel” to having “the conversation it might not have this effect. Politicians most beautiful hands”. Jack Holmes, who wrote an usually struggle to sound authentic while avoiding all of article about “Trump’s superlative addiction” for the incoherencies of natural speech. However, Donald Esquire magazine, gives us an interesting insight into Trump has seemingly either decided not to avoid them this topic3. He notes that if on the one hand, this or he might not know how to do so. “addiction” might seem to be funny, when, for example, Trump quite bluntly told Australian Prime John McWhorter argues that Trump’s speech patterns Minister Malcolm Turnbull that he is "the world's and casual register are, to a certain extent, a reflection greatest person", on the other hand, it may also entail a of the informal era we live in. In an opinion piece for more disturbing reality. Often, superlatives are The New York Times, he tackles the debate deployed when Trump has said something deeply surrounding Trump’s mental health and more offensive. For instance, he assured the public that he is specifically, how fit he is for the presidency5. One "the least racist person you will ever interview" after speech in particular, uttered in July 2015, triggered a journalists asked him about reports he dismissed considerable amount of concern amongst the American African nations as "shitholes" and insisted America people. Far from taking on a presidential persona, should prioritise (white) immigrants from Norway. In Trump was seen rambling about his uncle, him being this sense, superlatives are, in Holmes’ point of view, a “one of the smartest people anywhere in the world”, sad attempt to mitigate criticism. The same is true for Wharton, his fortune and his “life credentials” in what
3 Jack Holmes, “Trump’s Superlative Addiction is language”, The University of Liverpool’s news, Funny, Absurd, and Possibly Dangerous”, Esquire, January 19th 2018. January 17th 2018. 5 John McWhorter, “What Trump’s speech says 4 Karl Simms, “One year of Trump: Linguistics about his mental fitness”, The New York Times, expert analyses US President’s influence on February 6th 2018. was supposed to be a serious speech about political tidier than it often is. However, if we think about our deals surrounding nuclear power: own lives, when people speak, they normally sound “Look, having nuclear – my uncle was a great more put together and consistent than Trump does. His professor and scientist and engineer, Dr. John use of language seems to raise a general issue regarding Trump at M.I.T.; good genes, very good genes, what we expect from political figures in terms of their O.K., very smart, the Wharton School of finance, linguistic capacities. Some people might argue that it is very good, very smart – you know, if you're a rather elitist to demand correct use of grammar and conservative Republican, if I were a liberal, if, sophisticated vocabulary from a president. However, like, okay, if I ran as a liberal Democrat, they wouldn’t it be fair to say that there is a certain level of would say I'm one of the smartest people linguistic formality that becomes necessary when one anywhere in the world – it’s true! – but when aims at such a position of power? After all, the people you're a conservative Republican they try – oh, of a country deserve to be clearly informed about their they do a number – that’s why I always start off: leaders’ ideas and decisions from the leaders "Went to Wharton, was a good student, went themselves. The mention of Trump’s “life credentials” there, went there, did this, built a fortune”– you in the nuclear power speech suggests a strong focus know I have to give my life credentials all the time, upon himself. This narcissistic turn does not add because we're a little disadvantaged – but you anything relevant to support his viewpoint on nuclear look at the nuclear deal, the thing that really power and hence fails to inform the people about his bothers me …” politics.
As a result, some have argued that this poor In any case, Trump himself does not seem worried. demonstration of linguistic capacities suggests a During a 2015 rally in South Carolina, he explained significant cognitive decline. That being said, how he feels about his vocabulary: “I know words”, he McWhorter tries to explain this undeniable linguistic said, “I have the best words”. Hence, if no one else is, incoherence by saying that Trump is using private or at least the man himself seems to be quite confident casual speech in a public and formal context. According about his linguistic skills and it is safe to say that his to him, there is no evidence of dementia. Instead, there confidence in himself is great enough to compensate are many traits typical of ordinary speech. For example, for everyone else’s doubts. when we talk in everyday life there is a tendency to juxtapose simple clauses rather sloppily, a procedure called “parataxis”. This is what Trump does in the second line of the transcript. It is a typical structure of oral speech whereas in writing the same ideas would normally be organised using “hypotaxis”, that is to say, clearer subordinate clauses. Additionally, McWhorter says that normal conversation is usually quite repetitious, which can also be found in Trump’s speech, for example when he repeats “very good” and “very smart”.
Proper grammar and vocabulary: elitist demand or a citizen’s right?
If we follow John McWhorter’s point of view, it could be said that we tend to imagine our speech to be much
Feminism in Trump’s America
Tatiana Wegner, March 21st 2018
I am a feminist and as such I have been following what has happened in the USA since Trump announced his candidacy for the United States presidency. I have been following the scandals about “grabbing them by the pussy”, sexual harassment, assault, adultery, talk about his penis and the list goes on. He won and new laws have been passed: women now have to contact their rapist if they want to abort in Alabama and in Texas doctors can lie about a foetus’ health to convince women not to abort. It would be dishonest though to say everything’s awful : over the last two women’s marches we’ve seen a lot of people in the streets, there’s been the #MeToo movement, celebrities started Time’s up and women are speaking up everywhere. In 2016, in Portland, a group of feminists decided to restart WITCH, an antifascist, anti-sexist, anti-racist, pro-sex workers right group.
Unfortunately we have also seen people with the famous “we’d be at brunch” sign. Look, they even made a shirt!
And there lies the problem. Some women (and men but I tend to think their opinions about feminism don’t matter) still think feminism is only about being paid as much as men. They are liberal feminists and Hillary is everything they love. She is about capitalism, women politicians and entrepreneurs, basically what we call “white feminism” which is women being equal to white men. Hillary being president would have been a great victory for liberal feminists. In a interview with Mediapart in November 2016, Angela Davis talked about Clinton’s connections with capitalism and her obsolete vision of feminism. Davis talked about the necessity of including anti-racism and anti-capitalism in feminism and that is everything Clinton is not. Capitalism is a racist and sexist ideology; it thrives on exploiting racial and gender minorities. As a capitalist, Clinton can’t pretend to bring equality for all women, but only for a select few. White, cis and rich women mostly. The problem goes even deeper. Let us never forget that 53% of white women’s voted for Trump. 53% of white women in the US care more about hating Mexicans than they do about their right to abortion or not being sexually assaulted. Meanwhile 94% of black women voted for Hillary knowing life wouldn’t change much for them, that they would still be victims of white women racism and 67% of LGBT homicide victims are trans women of color. And while trans women of color are being beaten, raped and murdered, white feminists bring anti-trans signs to the women’s march.
This is why we need to talk more about intersectional feminism. Kimberlé Crenshaw, a professor at UCLA School of Law and Columbia Law School as well as a civil right activist coined the term in 1989. Intersectionality is the idea that oppressions can’t be seen separately. A black woman can suffer from misogyny and racism at the same time and can’t separate one from the other. White feminists think all women have the same experiences and the same value in society. The origins of #MeToo prove how wrong that is. It started with black women being raped in poor neighborhoods. No one cared. Jane Fonda said on “All in with Chris Hayes” that people started to listen because Weinstein’s victims were mostly white and rich. Today, Rose McGowan a known transphobic feminist is considered a head of that movement. Other white actresses are on the front of the scene. Portman, for example made a moving speech about being sexualized early in her career but still works with Woody Allen and even signed a petition for Roman Polanski (though to be fair, she did say that she regrets signing it, not long after her speech). Women of color, trans women, handicapped women are still kept silent and invisible and intersectional feminists are considered extremists.
When fighting for equality between men and women we can’t forget about other forms of oppressions, racism, transphobia, homophobia, classicism, ableism etc. however it seems most people can forget. Maybe because they don’t feel concerned at all.
The Evolution Of Rap Music Involvement In Politics: From Reagan To Trump, Has Anything Changed?
Charlyze Anguiley, 21st March 2018
Hip Hop is a mix of many cultural aspects. From music to dance through art and clothes styling . The first rappers were from New York ,especially from the Bronx,which was one of the poorest New York neighbourhoods in the 1970's. The major influence of hip hop music is the instrumental which has Jamaican and African rhythm and tempo from the lyrics to the tone. New York artists imposed themselves thank to their realistic lyrics and texts which were picturing their lives : being poor , black , drug dealer in the 1970's. Lately, the Netflix TV show “The Get Down” (2016) has wonderfully explained this historical area. The Dj's were the pioneers in Hip Hop culture.
In the 1980s, Hip Hop began to export itself to the other side of the country , the West side . Groups such as NWA (Ni***s with attitude) are a main example of the black community's tiredness and social suffocation . At this time the segregation was not a distant memoryy as it was 15 years before . So America was very racist. With “F*** the Police” (1988) , Ice Cube , Dr.Dre and Eazy E were the spokesmen of the Californian black youth. But the social and economical struggle of the black people could be sensed in the whole country.
N.W.A started a revolution. The forbidding of the President Reagan against N.W.A music showed how hip hop transcended the White House gates. Hip hop music had reached a political influence that couldn't be erased or silenced. One of the most engaged artists was Tupac : born from a Black Panther mother and coming from a poor neighbourhood, his life story was an example of the struggling issue . His murder is still one the most mysterious and hidden cases of American music history. Many of his songs were full of sad realities . The song “Changes”, is a depiction of the non positive social evolution of black community's and how being black is still difficult in America , I quote :
I see no changes, all I see is racist faces
Misplaced hate makes disgrace to races We under, I wonder what it takes to make this One better place, let's erase the wasted Take the evil out the people, they'll be acting right ‘Cause both Black and White are smoking crack tonight And the only time we chill is when we kill each other Tupac Shakur
Then in the early 90's, artist such as Nas (The world is yours ) , the group A Tribe Called Quest (Sucka Ni***), or Public Enemy (Fight the power) , (all from New York) took the mic to inform and elevate the spirits of the black youth with conscious lyrics and meaningful texts and music . Many others such as KRS-One , Mos Def were considered as hip hop ambassadors . In the 2000's , hip hop saw several changes and rap music gained a bigger audience and maybe lost its political influence . Mainstream hip hop won the battle. But some rappers even mainstream ones were still doing political songs . Lil Wayne with “Georgia Bush” is clearly stepping out of his comfort zone . Nas with “I Can” is calling all the black children to break social barriers and go beyond their failures. Even though the musical industry falling for mainstream , the rap community has always kept a conscious part . But this one tends to be erase.
Today and Trump aftermath
In the 2010s, some artists went back to political rap . The Californian rapper Kendrick Lamar with his first project “Section 80” , has impacted the hip hop industry and has reached a new political sphere ( the song “Hiii Power” is an emblem). Kendrick is maybe one of the most engaged rappers of his generation , coming from the same neighbourhood as The Game or YG and Dr.Dre , called Compton (California), He is real and intelligent . “To pimp a butterfly” is maybe his most political project . Today , America is maybe under the most dangerous president ever : Donald Trump who is clearly racist and obviously stupid.
His election has shocked the entire world especially European nations which always have been connected to American political issues. Trump called out some artists for his presidency investiture but nobody wanted to interpret the National Anthem for him. The music industry has always spoken during the election period. In 2008, during the Bush and Obama candidacy, Will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas made a song called “New Day” which celebrated a new beginning for America and an ode to the Obama victory. But the Trump election wasn't celebrated at all, it just showed an America that is still haunted by its past: slavery, racism, maximal liberalism and capitalism. Before the Trump election, many artists already started to talk and express themselves about his possible victory. The hip hop and rap community was maybe the first to talk and fight for Trump defeat. At the 2016 BET, Hip Hop artist made clear performances against him including Kendrick Lamar, T.I. Or Usher and many artists like actors or singers emphasized the importance of voting for the right candidate. Jesse Williams's speech won the award show. The A Tribe called Quest performance at the 2017 Grammys is maybe the most engaged performance of all of them, with metaphors against the Trump wall. They finished it with the word “Resist”, repeated 3 times. Everywhere in the USA., Rap artists have felt the need to declare their feelings and the danger of Donald Trump winning. From the old to the young generation, everybody felt affected . Joey Bada$$, the 22 years old golden rapper, made an album called “ALL-AMERIKKKAN” which showed him as an engaged and conscious artist. With songs such as “For my people” to “Land of the free””, the opus is a declaration of liberty, full of political statements and its fight against racism, police massive killings and the need for black people to unite for what is coming.
The Californian rapper YG, who is known for his gangster rap, made a song called “F*** Donald Trump” , that is as we can see, clear about his thoughts on the president. The song “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar was an anthem during the black community's strikes against police brutality, which began before Trump winning.
Trump's election is maybe the climax of American racism. Rappers such as Logic, began to speak out about the importance to stay united and to not being afraid. His 2017 album “Everybody” mixes black pride, fraternity and gospel influences. And few months ago, Eminem blew out during the 2017 hip hop award, with a solo rap oriented against his racist fans and clearly against Trump . The fight against Trump has no colour. Today white and hispanic artists also are speaking out . Because it's maybe the first time in contemporary american history that a president explicitly only represented himself, keeping the people like him under their privileges, applying nativist ideology and promoting misogynistic behaviour. All the minorities are excluded. Maybe the black community never had any consistency about the chronological lasting of Hip Hop music. Today, there are two or three Hip Hop genres and the conscious one is not the most listened of them. Of course, the Trump victory is not due to mainstream hip hop but one of the most The American rapper, Logic important parts of Hip hop music is dying and conscious artists are struggling to be heard. But today the whole Hollywood industry is fighting against him and it's not going to stop very soon. What does Trump's victory tell us about America?
(I'm a hip hop lover not an expert, this article is critical and so subjective).
References Cover picture: Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/donald-trump-politician-america-1708433/
American Politics: Under the Evangelical Influence - Antoine Larcher https://youtu.be/kKd3qt7AC54 https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/921524504836395008?s=19 http://lifewayresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Evangelical-Attitudes-Toward-Israel-Research-Study-Report.pdf https://edition.cnn.com/2017/12/06/politics/american-Evangelicals-jerusalem/index.html https://www.newsmax.com/t/newsmax/article/826258?section=BestLists&keywords=Evangelicals-influential-america- list&year=2017&month=11&date=15&id=826258&aliaspath=%2FManage%2FArticles%2FTemplate-Main http://www2.bhpublishinggroup.com/twonations/book.asp https://godanddonaldtrumpbook.com https://www.kidology.org/uploads/zones/jesuscamp_pressnotes1.pdf http://www.charismamedia.com https://www.amazon.fr/Evangelicals-Struggle-Shape-America/dp/1439131333
Feminism in Trump’s America - Tatiana Wegner https://www.buzzfeed.com/annanorth/why-feminism-cant-afford-to-ignore-transgender-wo?utm_term=.jmvjYlyyn1#.hhJ21BLL6R https://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelh44a3e66bf/fellow-white-ladies-we-need-to-talk-2aviz?utm_term=.yf0R3MXX2y#.rhz8KyMMXW http://witchpdx.com/ https://www.advocate.com/commentary/2015/02/18/op-ed-its-time-trans-lives-truly-matter-us-all https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXWHO14c88c http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/rose-mcgowan-transgender-woman-shouts-barnes-noble-book- event-a8191431.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yGeDyqMBUw https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jane-fonda-people-are-listening-now-because-weinstein-victims-are-famous-and- white_us_59f1e023e4b043885915a337 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersectionality
The Evolution Of Rap Music Involvement In Politics: From Reagan To Trump,Has Anything Changed? - Charlyze Anguiley
1) Tupac Shakur most woke songs : https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hiphop/ 7573536/tupac-shakur-2pac-most-woke-songs-lyrics-changes-dear-mama 2) Rap vs Ronald Reagan : https://genius.com/posts/775-Rap-vs-ronald-reagan 3) Best political Rap songs : http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2016/03/best-political-rap-songs/ 4) NWA history: http://time.com/3997534/nwa-history-1991/ 5) A Tribe Called Quest showed the Grammys how political statement are done : http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2017/02/13/a_tribe_called_quest_showed_the_grammys_ how_political_statements_are_done.html 6) Eminem Rips Trump In BET Hip Hop Awards Freestyle Cypher https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LunHybOKIjU 7) 2pac- Changes : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXvBjCO19QY 8) Joey Bada$$ - Land Of the Free : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeQW-9Cg8qs 9) Kendrick Lamar : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-48u_uWMHY 10) Logic 1-800-273-8225 Grammys Awards Speech https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=H7KG7o8BySg 11) Straight Outta Compton 2015 movie (on Netflix)