Obama explains why the fight for America is bigger than Trump
On Monday, President Barack Obama returned for an interview on the latest episode of “WTF with Marc Maron”. The comedian and podcast host asked the former president what he thought about Canada’s ability to reconnect with its core values to resist President Donald Trumpcompare to the more ambivalent reaction of the United States.
“The question has always been: Can we achieve this experience where people come from everywhere? » Obama explained. “They’re not related by blood. They don’t worship God the same way, or worship God at all. They speak different languages. They have all these strange foods. They show up with these strange customs. And some of them were dragged here in chains and some of them had their lands taken away and their culture destroyed. And out of all of that, can we create a common creed that allows us to live together in peace and get things done? ”
Obama then reflected on the other side of America that resists a freer society, citing the Civil War, systemic racism and the rise of Trump.
“There’s always been this struggle to know what the real story of America is,” Obama said. “And I believe deeply in this story – that if we can achieve this, if we can actually treat everyone with decency and respect and compromise and make democracy work – it will light up the whole world. »
He also condemned the Trump administration for actively undermining democracy, highlighting Trump’s use of federal troops against American citizens in cities like Obama’s hometown of Chicago.
Related | “Staggering”: Obama criticizes Trump for deploying troops to Chicago
Obama spent eight years in office castigated by the right because they thought he would abuse the power of his office. Today, the world watches as Trump implements many of the authoritarian tactics that conservatives predicted Obama would use.
