Agenda | Apr 30,2021
Nov 14 , 2020
By Christian Tesfaye
Little encapsulates the spirit of what we have come to feel toward our political opponents than a monologue Dave Chappelle gave in the most recent episode of Saturday Night Live, an American satirical variety comedy show, that aired last weekend.
After a rather hilarious take on the very serious issue of racialised politics of the United States, he finally addressed the elephant in the room: the 2020 US election. Four years ago, he had been the host of an episode on the show just after the 2016 US election, when Donald Trump won the presidency. The showrunners booked him for a second time on the episode that followed this year’s election in a bold move to tempt fate.
Fortunately, Trump lost this year. It spoke to the president's unpopularity that even allied countries, such as France and the UK, who would normally stay as far away from the United States' domestic politics (a privilege rarely extended to developing countries) celebrate conspicuously.
“It's time to get back to building bridges, not walls,” said Sadiq Khan, mayor of London.
The celebration was loud and long in US cities, but Chappelle's monologue hinted that this did not have to do as much with Trump’s unpopularity. Over 70 million Americans had voted for him, in fact. Instead, what the celebrations made clear was the deep social cleavage that stares back like an abyss. Biden’s win, at best, was a higher score for one team in a soccer match that is still in its half time.
Chappelle noted this and articulated how miserable the other side must feel at the moment. There is a mountain of hate yet to be addressed, and it is felt on both sides.
“[But] here's the difference between me and you … you guys hate each other. I don't hate anybody. I just hate that feeling. That's what I fight through, that's what I suggest you [do],” Chappelle told half of the nation that must have been slighted at Trump’s loss. “You've got to find a way to live your life. You've got to find a way to forgive each other. You've got to find a way to find joy in your existence in spite of that feeling.”
It is not just Chappelle that sees that little has actually been achieved by Biden’s victory. The Guardianrecently ran a piece headlined, “Forget unity – now elections deliver revenge as much as representation,” by William Davies, a political economist.
“Elections under these conditions can still produce landslides, such as [Boris] Johnson’s last year, but they don’t produce mandates,” he writes. “Democracy becomes mesmerising, but inconclusive.”
This is a terrifying prospect. On the one side, it is a positive that people participate in politics more; they are engaging in political discourse, and democracy works better with enhanced participation. In the same token, no one wants to lose anymore, not even for a brief period, not even when there is an election every four years.
We do not have elections in Ethiopia. Here, we settle our political disagreements in our own unsettling ways. It is part and parcel of our political tradition and history. It is not likely to change anytime soon.
As in the US, our brand of political engagement also produces winners and losers. It is inevitable. But, strangely, neither the winners nor the losers feel content. The latter have lost, thus they are angry. The former have won, but what may happen and historical memory weighs heavily upon their minds.
Worse yet, we recognise the cycle. We are all smart enough to realise that no one wins for any extended period. There is going to be a loss and then victory. On and on it will continue. We believe this because we have long given up that the “other” side could be redeemed; we no longer anticipate the “other” to understand and sympathise with us. It is going to be a constant struggle, unending and, in the end, also pointless.
What are we going to do with this knowledge though?
The answer does not sound academic or remotely original. In fact, it is rappers that have been hammering on this point more than any political theorist: we need to overcome the hate we feel for one another.
The alternative is to completely get rid of the other side. But we cannot, and neither should we attempt anything of this nature except try and change their minds. There will always be racists, sexists, nationalists or just people that disagree with our politics. They will constantly annoy and offend us, and we will probably never be on the same age.
But we need to co-exist despite the anger and hate we may feel for each other. Generations of political theorists and scholars - for all of their reading, analysis and provocative ideas - have not come to a conclusion more profound.
PUBLISHED ON
Nov 14,2020 [ VOL
21 , NO
1072]
Agenda | Apr 30,2021
Films Review | Dec 05,2018
Films Review | Jul 27,2019
Agenda | Dec 05,2018
Fortune News | Sep 26,2021
Life Matters | Apr 13,2019
Fortune News | Apr 17,2020
Viewpoints | Apr 11,2020
Commentaries | May 04,2019
View From Arada | Apr 10,2021
Photo Gallery | 97544 Views | May 06,2019
Photo Gallery | 89780 Views | Apr 26,2019
My Opinion | 67437 Views | Aug 14,2021
Commentaries | 65855 Views | Oct 02,2021
Editorial | May 02,2024
Feb 24 , 2024 . By MUNIR SHEMSU
Abel Yeshitila, a real estate developer with a 12-year track record, finds himself unable to sell homes in his latest venture. Despite slash...
Feb 10 , 2024 . By MUNIR SHEMSU
In his last week's address to Parliament, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) painted a picture of an economy...
Jan 7 , 2024
In the realm of international finance and diplomacy, few cities hold the distinction that Addis Abeba doe...
Sep 30 , 2023 . By AKSAH ITALO
On a chilly morning outside Ke'Geberew Market, Yeshi Chane, a 35-year-old mother cradling her seven-month-old baby, stands amidst the throng...
May 2 , 2024
For successive generations of Ethiopia's tax authorities, the chore of tax collection...
Apr 27 , 2024
The Prosperity Party (PP) - Prosperitians - is charting a course through treacherous...
Apr 20 , 2024
In a departure from its traditionally opaque practices, the National Bank of Ethiopia...
Apr 13 , 2024
In the hushed corridors of the legislative house on Lorenzo Te'azaz Road (Arat Kilo)...
May 3 , 2024
The feel-good life coaching industry would have people believe that success is not only about showing up in the swirling whirl of modern lif...
May 4 , 2024 . By BERSABEH GEBRE
Brook Taye (PhD), the director general of the newly established Ethiopian Capital Market Authority (ECMA), has issued a stern warning to com...
May 4 , 2024 . By MUNIR SHEMSU
Dreams of an agriculture sector unshackled from the whims of rain remain tethered to the struggling Minis...
May 4 , 2024
Large public projects exceeding 250 million Br will be required to use Building Information Modelling (BI...