He should be impeached, but canada isn’t off the hook
Trump has proven time and time again that he is not fit to be the commander-in-chief of the United States. The attack on Capitol Hill by his supporters, an attack that he incited through his tweets and addresses, shows it is time that he is officially impeached by the Senate and removed from office.
The events that unfolded in Washington happened after Trump continued to promote false allegations of election fraud. He encouraged supporters to go to Capitol Hill to fight against election results, and his speech encouraged violence. White supremacist groups such as the Proud Boys follow Trump’s commands and whims, driven by oppressive ideals. The Three Percenters, an anti-government organization, were also present at the seige – they support Trump for his anti-immigration policies, for his Islamophobia, and for his open hatred of the political left.
Swastikas, confederate flags, and the flag of “Kekistan” which is an alt-right symbol originating on internet spaces like 4chan, all appeared at the siege. In other words, it was a gathering of the far-right.
The internet has been out in full force since the event, making mocking posts and jokes about the Trump supporters bombarding the building. The remarkable difference in response, from the heavily violent policing during Black Lives Matter Protests to the recent mob being allowed easy access into the United States Capitol, shows where the government’s loyalties lie. Those involved in the BLM protests are pointing to the insurrection as another instance of white supremacist anger prioritized over Black people’s human rights.
Many Canadians have demonstrated their relief that we live away from the corrupt American policing system, but they forget that white supremacism, racism, and the same “alt-right” we saw at the Capitol are deeply ingrained within Canadian ideals and policing.
Only a few months ago, as a recent example, a horrific fire in Halifax destroyed a Mi’kmaq lobster fishery – an event suspected to be an arson. Ongoing disputes between commercial fisheries and Mi’kmaq fisheries have been clashing for months. Harsh criticisms of the RCMP’s reaction to the fire and handling procedures have been under fire ever since the incident. Policing systems are not only corrupt in the United States, but in Canada as well.
Canadian hate groups are often overshadowed by Canada’s stereotype of being polite, which conceals the hatred and bigotry that exists here. Underestimating the power of a group of ignorant people was what led to the events that occurred on Capitol Hill, where the perpetrators of the siege were not taken seriously either. We need to be on the lookout for similar events. Support for Trump was even active in various Canadian cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary on the same day as the siege.
The riots occurring on Capitol Hill are an offense to democracy. But could we say that they were not predictable? No. Trump has proven that no matter the cost, he refuses to be wrong. His proclamations of election fraud discredit democracy and demonstrate how he needs to be right because his ego cannot take the blow of losing.
While the end of Trump’s Presidency approaches, I think the United States government must impeach Trump before his time is up. By enacting the 25th Amendment, it makes a more legitimate statement from the United States Government that they do not condone Trump’s actions. While this will cause an uproar from MAGA supporters, terroristic, violent behaviors mustn’t be underestimated. After Trump’s almost full presidency, it is a shame that the United States government is only now finally seeking action to remove Trump from a position of power. Meanwhile, we need to be alert in seeking the same patterns at home.
