First, I have to apologize, because english is not my native language. So, maybe you will find some grammar mistakes but I’ll make my best effort in order to express my ideas. I didn’t find another way to show this article to you than paying some money to Facebook with the facilities that this social network has, so that, I can aim this article to people like you, which are going to vote this «Super Tuesday», or perhaps you don’t like Donald Trump as me, but you have friends or people that you care that are going to vote for him.
My intention is not to criticize you, neither the people you care, nor I want to make judgements about people. I respect your opinion, and as a democrat I am (talking about the democracy as it is, not about the political party), I strongly believe that you have the right to support whoever. I don’t want to impose you anything, but I do want to persuade you not to vote by Donald Trump. I would feel grateful if you read my words.
So, I’m from Guadalajara México. Yes, I am mexican. I am 33 years old, self-employed developing websites, I have been involved in NGO’s, and I have plans to study abroad. I’m a common «upper mid-class mexican» struggling everyday to thrive in order to have a better life.
And let me tell you something. I know that as a «neighboor countries» we have had some differences through history. Some wars, we lost some territory, but that «grievances» are in the very past, that events happened in another time when both cultures were very different. Now, we need each other, we have agreements, we have a lot of things in common. Your culture has a strong influence in Mexico, as well as our culture has a strong influence in United States.
As a mexican as I am and as I have a lot of love for your country, I have to tell you that I am very concerned about the likelihood that Donald Trump could be President of the United States. Yes, there are some campaign proposals aimed against our interests, for instance, to pretend to build a wall between our countries, and expect us to pay it. You know we have millions of compatriots in your country. But when it comes to talk about Donald Trump, we have only not to talk about the «mexican things», but about those things that must concern to United States as well.
First, United States was founded by migrants, people who arrived from England, Netherlands, even Donald Trump is a son of a migrant. I know that you are concerned about the plenty of mexicans that are crossing the frontier each year. But let me tell you something, is not true that we are rapists, killers; this is an irresponsible generalization, and so, I have to tell you that one of the demagogue’s habits is to make generalizations, and statements based on prejudices, and so on. Believe me, in Mexico and Latin America, we have a lot of experiences with demagogues, we know them very well.
I suppose that you watched the Oscar prizes on TV the last weekend. «Chivo» Lubezki became the first person to win the Oscar in «best photography» three times in a row, and also, the three last persons who won the «best director prize» were mexicans (González Iñarritu twice, and Alfonso Cuarón one time). And you can see that we, as mexicans, are very far from the Trump’s statement. They needed a lot of willpower, talent, hard-work, and creativity. And they gathered people who had that virtues too; white people from United States, black people, people from other countries. Because the race doesn’t care, but the willing to do big things.
Yes, you can find mexican rapists, killers, drug addicts, as well as you can find white, black or asian rapists or killers. Some of mexican people cross the frontier in order to have a better life and to feed their families. They usually work much more than the «eight daily hours, five times at week» that you and me usually work. Is tough for them to live in your country because they have to work so hard if they want to feed their son’s mouths.
Do you think that we, as mexicans, have to pay for the fault of a few? Or, Do you think that the muslims have to pay for those very small groups of terrorists that not represent them in any way? Is that fair? Donald Trump wants to divide us. By not only that, Trump is dividing the people for your country.
Donald Trump is promising you to «make America great again!». But it seems that he is going to get the opposite. Why? Perhaps you have not ever heard about the concept of «soft power». Maybe an internationalist can give you a more deeply explanation, but brieffly, this is the kind of power that you can obtain through influence. For instance, if a lot of people admire your country, you increase your soft power, if people from other countries watch your movies, you increase your soft power too; but if the global community starts to see you in a skeptical way, if they started to see you as a problem, is likely that your «soft power» is going to plummet. So, if you want to «make America great again!, you need to have a good amount of «soft power» and to recover that «soft power» you have lost through the last years.
Do you think that with Donald Trump, the United States is going to get a lot of «soft power»? Close your eyes, and try to figure out what would happen if Trump decided to ban the muslims, if he decided to build a wall and force Mexico to pay for it, or whether he decided to force Apple to stop to use foreign workforce in order to «recover the jobs that belongs to the americans» (the people of those countries are going to lose their jobs at the time they fall in the extreme poverty. And yes, the iPhone price is going to rise a lot). Do you think the global community is going to be very happy? In reality, it would be likely that United States could lose some respect.
And worst. Trump wants to be the President of the country with the most influence in the world. As a President, you have to be very careful with geopolicy, and you have to play with that delicate relationships between countries. So, if you screw up in something, you are going to be in trouble. Yes, even the wiser presidents can make a bad move. Hence, imagine what would happen with a man like Donald Trump who likes to scream, yell, insult, and divide. Imagine him inside a delicate juncture, for instance, with Iran, Russia, or terrorists. You need to be smart, diplomatic, to think with the brain and not with the heart.
I understand very well that you are worried because the things are not better than before. Perhaps you are worried about because you just don’t find a good job, or even, whatever job (believe me, in México, we know your worries very well). Therefore, you think that, because of Donald Trump, the guilty ones are the immigrants. It’s easier to create an enemy than putting all your efforts and wisdom in order to solve these problems. And I’m almost sure that you have heard about Chavez, Fidel Castro or Evo Morales (and you may heard about the current state of their countries and their economies as well). So, as Donald Trump, they are experts in creating enemies to justify their problems: «The neoliberalism», the american empire. Donald Trump as a demagogue right-wing populist, is doing the same (the muslims, the immigrants, Obama). He wants to divide your nation with old fashioned prejudices. He hesitates to dissasociate from the Ku Klux Klan leader endorsement, and he doesn’t worry about retweeting a Mussolini phrase. Man, this could be quite dangerous, even if this is only a campaign strategy.
Believe me, I love your country. I’m not only thinking about our interests, but yours. I don’t know what limits will have Donald Trump if he become president.
For the sake of your country, and even for the sake of the world, I strongly recommend you not to vote for Donald Trump, or if you don’t want to do so, please, help us persuading the people that want to vote him.
But if I didn’t convince you, the only thing I can do, is to respect your opinion.
Thanks for reading me.
Álvaro.
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