On The Eve of 47

A plea for unity

Those of you who have read my recent essay on retribution in statecraft, will know that it is not the lack of accountability that I was describing. Indeed, in that essay, I make a clear distinction between sin and forgiveness, and crime and punishment - “if you do the crime, you do the time.”

It is also true however, that those who would wish to rule over us and take away our liberties and freedoms, are themselves well versed in the dark art of divide and rule. Having lost the American Presidential elections and on the eve of the start of a new era in American life and politics, the enemies of freedom are licking their wounds and constantly planning their next diabolical moves – and chief among these is their knowledge of the historical destruction of societies and demise of nations brought about by ideological and actual civil wars resulting in a fractured, quarrelling, weakened nation that then becomes easy to subdue.

Only a few weeks ago, the “MAGA” movement in America was divided on the question of H1B visas (actually, the question of the abuse of the H1B visa) and there was a vicious back and forth between groups within the movement. (For my readers around the world who are not in North America, the “H1B visa” is a special American visa which is designed to bring exceptional tech and information technology/engineering talent to America, together with a path to American citizenship for these immigrants. It has undoubtedly been abused – and used for example, to give this visa to thousands of computer programmers from India into America, who are then paid much less than comparable American programmers).

One side of this debate within MAGA wanted to shut off the H1B visa stream completely; another, wanted it to remain as it is; and a third, wanted to severely clamp down on its misuse. The temperature of this debate kept rising – and like the electric kettle in our homes, started with a rumble of discontent, then agitating bubbles of anger and very soon, a crescendo of exploding agitation accompanied by hissing steam. The water is quiet now, but still hot!

Without ruffling too many (already very dishevelled) feathers, I wish to make it very clear that I believe that if you immigrated to America (or Canada or anywhere else) a generation or two ago, you should at least show enormous respect and even a little deference to those who are descended from the Jamestown immigrants (early 17^th century) for example - and are 15 (or more) generations old in America. It is after all to the America that the latter built, that the former are immigrating to – and but for the latter, the nation would most likely not have been successful and prosperous enough to attract the former.

And so, even very rich billionaires and tech titans (including Elon Musk) should perhaps have deferred to or treated gently those ordinary, largely blue collar, multigenerational Americans protesting the misuse (or even the use) of the H1B visa to bring in thousands of immigrants, who then take American jobs and perpetuate the chronic underemployment and unemployment of American youth. But on all sides of this debate, there were vicious words exchanged – and if words could kill, there would be many thousand MAGA dead on all sides of this debate, over whose graves the enemies of freedom are waiting to advance.

There will be many more challenges to the MAGA movement. This should not surprise us, since MAGA is poised to challenge, disrupt and displace the demonic and anti-people left. As President Trump said two days ago, January 20^th cannot come soon enough!

The tyrannical and demonic leftist leaders, academics, think-tanks and politicians who have been dominating American life may be called the “woke left.”

But there is also who I would call the “old left.” This type of leftist believes in helping the poor and giving a hand up to the disabled and discarded of society; they work (often tirelessly) for peace and nuclear disarmament; they believe in feeding the hungry and clothing the naked and housing the homeless stranger; they frequently love animals and are environmentalists; they do many of the things that Christ asked Christians to do for our neighbours and fellow men and women. And millions of them (not necessarily the majority of them), almost certainly voted for President Trump. One of them was the erstwhile Democrat Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The other, another erstwhile Democrat, Tulsi Gabbard. The latter are also part of the President’s cabinet.

Since I am an eternal optimist, I shall not make pessimistic predictions of the internecine warfare that may well break out between the right and the old left of the MAGA movement (the demonic woke left is recognized as an enemy by both groups). But I do predict that this will probably be the next target of the instigators of chaos and the enemies of freedom. It would be a futile and unnecessary battle, that will sap the energies of the MAGA movement and distract from the urgent tasks ahead.

Only a determined, unshakeable unity between the new and old right, and the old left will effectively challenge and overcome the considerable forces at work against us - and advance freedom, truth, liberty and the values of the Kingdom of God.

The MAGA movement is important not just for America; it is a make or break moment for the world. The world watches breathlessly as the 47^th President takes charge in less that 48 hours. Generations to come will regard this Presidency and this time as one of the most consequential in America’s miraculous history; perhaps in the history of all nations. What a time to be alive! God bless America! God bless 47!