In fact what we are witnessing in today’s politics all over the world is brutalization of justice. Justice is sacrificed on the altar of falsehood. Truth is no longer revered and many people can do all they can to abandon truth for their own version of truth. Because standards are no longer followed, people come to positions of power and behave the way they like and undermine the sacred truth. This is because those who are ill-suited come to power irrespective of their behaviours. Standards are compromised. We are in an age of misinformation, propaganda, fake News and conspiracy theories. The conspiracy theories of today are flying all over the world and many politicians are catching up with them for their own selfish motives. A great number of politicians are using it to win elections. In an age of propaganda, fake news thrives too and the world has no choice than to use them for their dubious purposes. Modern man likes to copy what is new without verifying it.
They say “that is fashionable” in today’s world. If you are not with them, you are alone in your struggle to eke out your existence. The world plays down the truth. Even the ignorance of poverty is now weaponized. We have statistical calamity of those who are on the side of truth and those on the side of falsehood. Those on the side of falsehood far overwhelm those on the side of truth. “Whatever fetches money is where I follow”. Many people believe that truth is relative. Have you forgotten the Nigerian slogan after the civil war “if you cannot beat them, you join them”? That was triggered by poverty. Even there are short-cuts to wealth and today with the modern media; the young have become casualties to this “spiritual” clubs. With the aid of social media, the American youths have imbibed Trump’s conspiracy theories which have permeated among his targets convincing them to act as people fighting for a justified cause.
The compositions of these people are from the indigenous backgrounds; those who feel they own the country, those who thrive on devil-may-care attitude; KKK, White Supremacists and those whose Trump’s appeal has provoked to know that they own the country. They forget the history of slave trade in America and that America is a country of Immigrants. Since Trump came into power, he used many symbolisms and speeches to appeal to these people with what is indigenous in America. He began to gather followers through his “America First” mantra. He used his conspiracy theories to overturn American democracy which affected the elections. One would not know that Trump puts his ego first before anything. He even forgot his “America first” principle and pursued “Trump ego first.
” This ridiculed American democracy. The former President of America; John F. Kennedy in his famous words said “ask not what your country can do for you but ask what you can do for your country”. Can you not see the brutalization of justice by Trump in the politics of America today? Trump’s conspiracy theories have caused a lot of havoc in America today on his way out of power which has even shocked both the leaders and citizens of the third world countries. Trump’s misbehaviour can now be compared with the sit-tight behaviour of third world leaders he referred to as “shitholes”. He is now indulging in the politics of banana Republics because it would profit him.
Many Nigerian critics have hilariously compared Trump’s political style with that of our President, because he is now using his followers to wreak havoc after his election loss which could be compared with alleged threats of our President that the Baboons and Monkeys would be soaked in blood if he didn’t win in his election. Nobody talks about justice here but desperation to win and retain power by all means. Trump opposed the election of 2020 and yet his eyes were on Georgia for the Run-off elections. He publicly called on most of the relevant authorities to help him secure victory for the two seats by all means. This was a do or die affair. Trump started forming deviant groups to oppress justice of the election. Unfortunately he did not win in the run-off elections in Georgia and he continued again to trump-et “fraud” If he had won the two seats in Georgia in this crisis, would the 2020 election be justified? This is the hemorrhage in human thinking when greed has taken over a whole man with no more reasoning.
One would have thought that was all, but Trump with his hidden agenda went ahead to incite those groups that are casualties of his conspiracy theories to go and attack the Capitol while the Law makers were in session trying to certify Biden’s electoral victory. They started breaking doors and went up. One even sat on Nancy Pelosi’s chamber signaling “we have got the one who speaks to our boss anyhow now”. There was a sort of terror at the seat of power which lasted for hours thereby desecrating the temple of justice. Americans watched in awe, what the fellow citizens could do to destroy the seat of power and democracy. One thought that Trump would calm them down but Trump was watching what he had planned; thousands of demonstrators and protesters. One of the demonstrators who sat on Nancy Pelosi’s seat said “we will not back down”. Many of them were inspired by the lies of Trump to act the way they did to destroy the Capitol; the seat of power. Trump has created an alternative model.
He validated the intentions of the protesters. Everybody saw Trump’s action as a seditious conspiracy. Trump has earned for himself, a dirty footnote in American political history. In order to prevent further breakdown of law and order through Trump’s provocative utterances, he was banned by Twitter and Facebook from using his social media accounts but the ban was Brutalization of justice in politics later lifted with a promise to censor his contents. There is a strong move to impeach him because he is not predictable. Many of his cabinet members resigned in the last few days. American’s allies are shocked at what they saw when American Capitol was invaded by Trump’s political hoodlums. Nobody exonerated Trump. He went ahead to give Presidential Amnesty to his Father, his father-in-law; Krushner and other criminals that supported him. We do not know if Trump would pardon himself too! Trump should know that the Nigeria he continuously underrated has produced a great leader in the person of former President Jonathan who honourably conceded defeat even though in a very controversial circumstance with the reason that his ambition did not worth the blood of any citizen. Trump should emulate him and act like a lover of democracy.
• Very Rev. Msgr. Livinus Ukah is a Catholic Priest, an Author of many books and a Social Justice and Peace Advocate
