According to latest poll, over 80 per cent of American voters are worried about the state of democracy in the USA. The poll also shows that Americans are worried about the strong partisan political divisions: 59 per cent of the respondents didn’t believe that the political parties can pass bipartisan solutions.
Read the full story on The Hill:
Hello again after a while! A lot has been going on in the far-right scene and elsewhere in world politics, but before I write about other things, here is an interesting comment regarding American politics from Liz Cheney, daughter of infamous Dick Cheney who served as vice president under President George W. Bush during years 2001 – 2009:
“…I think that the country right now faces hugely challenging and fundamentally important issues. What we’ve done in our politics is create a situation where we’re electing idiots.”
Read the full story on The Hill:
According to recent survey conducted by University of Chicago, roughly 12 million or 4.4% of the adult population in the USA believe that violence is justified in order to help former president Donald Trump return to the White House.
Read the full story on The Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/09/january-6-trump-political-violence-survey
While the amount of mass shootings and mass killings continues to rise in the USA, FBI has been criticized for making a mass-shooting survival video. The video was released already in 2020 but it has now resurfaced. According to critics, the video will scare away foreign graduates and tourists. One critic wrote on Twitter: “America is broken. Instead of addressing the cause of the carnage, we’re talking about how to survive a massacre like it’s a damn tornado.”
Read the full story on The Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/15/fbi-mass-shooting-survival-video
You can follow the gun violence statistics on Gun Violence Archive:
During recent months there have been a lot of disturbing news about the violent plans and fantasies of the American far right. As the trials regarding the Capitol riot have continued, over 1,000 people have been charged for their participation in the riot on the 6th of January 2021. Nearly 85% of the people who have been facing charges do not have any known connection to extremist groups. (1) 14 members of far-right group Oath Keepers and four members of another far-right group Proud Boys, including their former leader Enrique Tarrio, have been found guilty of seditious conspiracy and other felonies. The Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys were accused of planning an “all-out war” and “violent overthrow” of the US Government. (2, 3, 4, 5) One far-right extremist, who took part in the riot, allegedly wanted to “wipe out” Jewish population in the USA (6). Republican far-right congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said in December last year that if she and Steve Bannon, ex-strategist of former president Trump, had been in charge of organizing the insurrection at the Capitol, the attack “would have been armed” and they would have won (7). During his recent campaign trip, Trump embraced and praised a woman, who is an ardent supporter of Trump and who was jailed because of her participation in the Capitol riot and who believes that the members of Congress who voted to certify Biden’s presidential election should be executed. Trump has said that if he becomes president again, he will issue full pardons and a government apology to the rioters who stormed the Capitol. (8, 9)
Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson has expressed some controversial comments about the political violence during the Capitol riot. In March, Carlson caused outrage by showing selected security footage from the Capitol during the riot and by trying to portray violent attackers as peaceful protesters and tourists (10). Last week it was reported that Carlson wrote in one text message (11):
“…watching video of people fighting on the street in Washington. A group of Trump guys surrounded an Antifa kid and started pounding the living shit out of him. It was three against one, at least. Jumping a guy like that is dishonorable obviously. It’s not how white men fight. Yet suddenly I found myself rooting for the mob against the man, hoping they’d hit him harder, kill him. I really wanted them to hurt the kid. I could taste it. — …somewhere deep in my brain, an alarm went off: this isn’t good for me. I’m becoming something I don’t want to be. The Antifa creep is a human being. Much as I despise what he says and does, much as I’m sure I’d hate him personally if I knew him, I shouldn’t gloat over his suffering. I should be bothered by it. I should remember that somewhere somebody probably loves this kid, and would be crushed if he was killed. If I don’t care about those things, if I reduce people to their politics, how am I better than he is?”
Carlson’s text message about the video he saw reportedly caused panic among Fox’s board and top-level executives, and officials were worried that the contents of Carlson’s messages could become public and prove embarrassing for the network.
According to polls, majority of Americans are worried about political violence. Last November, week after the attack on the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 88% of American adults were “concerned that political divisions have increased the risk of politically motivated violence” in the USA. However, supporters of the two main parties blamed each other: 66% of Democrats blamed the Republican Party for the risk of violence, and 56% of Republicans blamed the Democratic Party. (12)
Several polls have also revealed that some Americans accept political violence. According to a poll that was published in March this year, 27% of Republicans approved the Capitol riot on the 6th of January 2021 and 54% of Republicans thought that the rioters “participated in legitimate political discourse” (13). Last year, University of California published a vast survey that had quite disturbing findings. According to the survey, roughly 20% of American adults believed that political violence is justified at least in some circumstances and 3% believed that political violence is usually or always justified. Around 41% agreed with the idea that “in America, native-born white people are being replaced by immigrants” and roughly the same proportion of the respondents believed that “our American way of life is disappearing so fast that we may have to use force to save it”. Over 12% said that they would be willing to “threaten or intimidate a person” and 10% were willing to “injure a person” in the pursuit of their political objectives. Quite shockingly, 7.1% said that they would be willing to kill a person to advance an important political goal. 50.1% of the respondents agreed with the contention that in the next few years there would be another civil war in the USA. (14)
References:
1) “1,000 people have been charged for the Capitol riot. Here’s where their cases stand” NPR 25.3.2023
https://www.npr.org/2023/03/25/1165022885/1000-defendants-january-6-capitol-riot
2) “Six Additional Oath Keepers Members and Affiliates Found Guilty of Charges Related to Capitol Breach” U.S. Department of Justice 21.3.2023
3) “Enrique Tarrio, three other Proud Boys convicted on seditious conspiracy” The Hill 4.5.2023
4) “Oath Keepers called for ‘violent overthrow’ of US government, trial hears” The Guardian 18.11.2022
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/nov/18/oath-keepers-trial-closing-arguments-capitol-attack
5) “Proud Boys were ready for ‘all-out war’ before January 6, prosecutors argue” The Guardian 24.4.2023
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/24/proud-boys-jan-6-attack-trial-closing-arguments
6) “Military Veteran Who Allegedly Wanted To ‘Wipe Out’ Jews Convicted In Capitol Attack” Yahoo! News 7.3.2023
7) “Marjorie Taylor Greene: Capitol attack ‘would’ve been armed’ if I was in charge” The Guardian 12.12.2022
8) “Donald Trump embraces Jan. 6 defendant who wants Mike Pence executed” NBC News 28.4.2023
9) “Trump vows pardons, government apology to Capitol rioters if elected” The Washington Post 1.9.2022
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/09/01/trump-jan-6-rioters-pardon/
10) “Fox News’ Tucker Carlson distorts capitol attack footage to push pro-Trump conspiracy theories” Le Monde 8.3.2023
11) “Tucker Carlson text about ‘how white men fight’ alarmed Fox leaders before ouster: report” The Hill 3.5.2023
https://thehill.com/homenews/3985372-tucker-carlson-text-white-men-fox-leaders-before-ouster-report/
12) “Americans express broad concerns about the risk of political violence: POLL” ABC News 4.11.2022
13) “More than a quarter of Republicans approve of Capitol attack, poll shows” The Guardian 16.3.2023
14) “One in five US adults condone ‘justified’ political violence, mega-survey finds” The Guardian 20.7.2022
Mass killings in the USA seem to become an increasingly worrying problem this year. The latest mass killing took place on Friday night in Texas, where an intoxicated man shot five of his neighbors after they had complained about the noise he caused while shooting in his yard. That incident was the 17th mass killing and 174th mass shooting in the USA this year. This may be a record-breaking year for mass killings. There has been a mass killing approximately every 6.5 days, so far. (1)
Americans love guns. According to statistics, USA has by far the highest rate of civilian gun ownership in the world, 120.5 civilian-owned guns per 100 people. Falkland Islands has the second highest rate, 62.1 guns per 100 people. (2) About 46 % of Americans live in a household that has a gun. During the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 – March 2022) there was a noticeable increase in gun sales. 20 million guns were sold per year during 2020 and 2021 and 18 % of the American households bought a gun since the start of the pandemic. During previous years (2010 – 2019) approximately 13 million guns were sold each year. (3)
Republicans and other hardline right-wingers have defended fiercely the right to own and carry a gun and they show their love for guns. When American talk show host Bill Maher talked about political advertising in the USA, last year, he also showed how politicians like to shoot things – watch, for example, a video of Republican far-right congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene where she shows how she would want to handle “the Democrats’ Socialist agenda.” (4) Republican far-right congresswoman Lauren Boebert insisted on bringing a gun to Capitol in January 2021, soon after the Capitol riots (5). During recent National Rifle Association (NRA) lobbying leadership forum, Republican governor Kristi Noem told to the audience that her two-year-old granddaughter has several guns (6). Republican politicians have proposed more than a dozen bills to remove gun safety laws, cut taxes for gun buyers, and offer special protections for the firearm and ammunition industries (7). 26 states in the USA allow people to carry a concealed gun without a permit and 25 states allow people to carry a gun openly without a permit (8, 9). Incidentally, most of these states are ruled by Republicans.
References:
1) “Texas man fatally shoots five neighbors after noise complaint, sheriff says” The Guardian 29.4.2023
2) “Gun Ownership by Country 2023” World Population Review
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/gun-ownership-by-country
3) “One in Five American Households Purchased a Gun During the Pandemic” NORC 24.3.2022
4) “New Rule: The United States of Dumb-merica” Real Time with Bill Maher 4.6.2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dMOfwUP0F0
5) “Boebert Clashes With Capitol Police After Setting Off Metal Detectors” CPR News 12.1.2021
6) “South Dakota governor says her two-year-old grandchild has several guns” The Guardian 15.4.2023
7) “The GOP’s extreme bills: Repeal gun safety laws” The American Independent 20.3.2023
https://americanindependent.com/gop-extreme-bills-repeal-gun-safety-laws/
8) “Which States Allow The Permitless Carry Of Guns? [Infographic]” Forbes 6.4.2023
9) “Florida becomes 26th state to allow permitless carry of concealed guns” Axios 3.4.2023
During recent months there have been a lot of worrying news about British police forces. Recent report about the Metropolitan Police stated that it is “broken and rotten, suffering collapsing public trust and is guilty of institutional racism, misogyny and homophobia” (1). There have been some disturbing cases where a police officer has used his position to prey on women. Metropolitan police officer Wayne Couzens abducted, raped and murdered Sarah Everard in March 2021 (2). Elite Metropolitan police officer David Garrick carried out 85 serious offences, including 48 rapes, against women over a period of 17 years (3). According to data from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) more than 1,500 police officers have been accused of violent offences against women and girls over a period of six months, between October 2021 and April 2022, but less than 1% of those have been sacked (4). Data from the the Police Federation, the staff association for police officers, revealed that approximately one in 100 police officers in England and Wales faced criminal charges, including for sexual offences, last year. The number of officers facing criminal charges has skyrocketed by 590% since 2012. (5)
References:
1) “Met police found to be institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic” The Guardian 21.3.2023
2) “Police ‘could have saved Sarah Everard,’ says victim – as killer cop Wayne Couzens sentenced for flashing” LBC 6.3.2023
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/wayne-couzens-sentenced-indecent-exposure/
3) “Elite Metropolitan police officer David Carrick revealed as serial rapist” The Guardian 16.1.2023
4) “More than 1,500 UK police officers accused of violence against women in six months” The Guardian 14.3.2023
5) “Revealed: one in 100 police officers in England and Wales faced a criminal charge last year” The Guardian 25.2.2023
The events in Israel have taken an extraordinary turn after Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition government rose to power at the end of last year. Hundreds of thousands Israelis have protested during 11 Saturdays against Netanyahu’s government’s political decisions and plan to complete judicial overhaul. The government’s plan “will allow the Knesset to override court decisions with the barest majority, preemptively shield laws from judicial oversight altogether, and put the selection of all judges in the hands of coalition politicians”. According to opponents, the plan will “drastically weaken Israel’s democratic character, remove a key element of its checks and balances and leave minorities unprotected”. Violence against the protesters seems to escalate. (1) Some opponents have also said that Netanyahu’s far-right government is planning a “coup” and Israel is in danger of becoming a “dictatorship” or “fascist theocracy” (2, 3, 4, 5, 6). President of Israel Isaac Herzog warned last week that civil war in Israel is “within touching distance” (7).
More moderate and liberal members of Jewish diaspora have been worried about Netanyahu’s government. Large amount of liberal American Jewish leaders and Jewish organizations have opposed the judicial overhaul and other actions of the government. British Labour MP Margaret Hodge wrote, “Netanyahu has brought Israel to a dangerous moment. We, the Jewish diaspora, cannot just stand by.” (8, 9, 10) Over 100 former Israeli diplomats have expressed their concern that Netanyahu’s government will harm foreign ties (11). The USA and UAE have put their planned meetings with Netanyahu on hold (12). President Biden told Netanyahu yesterday that he backs compromise regarding the judicial overhaul. Netanyahu has claimed to Biden and some European leaders that Israel will remain a democracy. (13, 14, 15) At the same time a rift has emerged between Netanyahu’s government and some Western states. According to recent media reports, a senior Israeli government official claimed without any evidence that the mass protests against the government’s judicial overhaul have been partially funded by the Biden administration (16). Netanyahu has also asked all cabinet ministers to avoid traveling to USA and to avoid meeting US government officials, until Biden invites him to the USA (17). Israel has also signaled that European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is not welcome to Israel after he has criticized Israel’s actions (18). Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen has claimed that the EU is interfering in Israeli domestic affairs, for example after the EU parliament organized a debate titled “Deterioration of democracy in Israel and consequences on the occupied territories.” (19)
References:
1) “As violence against protesters escalates, opposition blames Netanyahu’s ‘incitement’” The Times of Israel 18.3.2023
2) “Israel: Netanyahu moves a step closer with ‘judicial coup’ bill in parliament” Middle East Eye 14.3.2023
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-netanyahu-moves-step-closer-judicial-coup-bill-parliament
3) “Hundreds of elite IDF reservists stop showing up for duty over judicial overhaul” The Times of Israel 19.3.2023
4) “Here comes the new regime in Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu’s ‘democratic dictatorship’” The Times of Israel 12.1.2023
5) “Israel’s former spy chief warns that country could turn into a ‘dictatorship'” Middle East Eye 17.3.2023
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-judicial-reform-spy-chief-shin-bet-dictatorship
6) “Tel Aviv mayor warns Israel heading toward a fascist theocracy” The Times of Israel 2.12.2022
https://www.timesofisrael.com/tel-aviv-mayor-warns-israel-heading-toward-a-fascist-theocracy/
7) “Israeli president warns of civil war as Netanyahu rejects judicial compromise” The Guardian 16.3.2023
8) “169 liberal US Jewish leaders sign letter expressing concern over Israeli government” The Times of Israel 1.2.2023
9) “In highly unusual move, major US Jewish group decries proposed judicial overhaul” The Times of Israel 21.2.2023
10) “Netanyahu has brought Israel to a dangerous moment. We, the Jewish diaspora, cannot just stand by” The Guardian 3.3.2023
11) “Over 100 ex-Israel diplomats fear Netanyahu gov’t will harm foreign ties” Middle East Monitor 30.12.2022
12) “Invites for Netanyahu to visit US, UAE on hold as discomfort with government grows” The Times of Israel 16.2.2023
13) “Israel: Biden tells Netanyahu he backs compromise on judicial overhaul” Middle East Eye 19.3.2023
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-biden-netanyahu-compromise-judicial-overhaul
14) “Macron warns Netanyahu over judicial overhaul, settlements” The Times of Israel 3.2.2023
15) “On Berlin visit, Netanyahu denies he’s working to curtail independence of judiciary” The Times of Israel 16.3.2023
16) “Source close to Netanyahu accuses US of funding rallies against judicial overhaul” The Times of Israel 12.3.2023
17) “Netanyahu said to bar ministers from meeting US officials until Biden invites him” The Times of Israel 15.3.2023
18) “Israel signals EU foreign policy chief unwelcome in Israel” The Times of Israel 16.3.2023
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-signals-eu-foreign-policy-chief-unwelcome-in-israel/
19) “EU foreign policy head defends parliamentary debate on Israel as tough love” The Times of Israel 15.3.2023
United Kingdom has been downgraded in an annual global index of civic freedoms because of the government’s “increasingly authoritarian” drive to impose restrictive and punitive laws on public protests. According to Civicus Monitor, British government has created a “hostile environment” towards campaigners, charities and other civil society bodies. Stephanie Draper, chief executive of the Bond charity, said, “The UK is becoming increasingly authoritarian and is among concerning company in the Civicus Monitor ratings as restrictive laws and dangerous rhetoric are creating a hostile environment towards civil society in the UK.”
Read the full story on The Guardian:
Brexit, COVID-19 pandemic, cost of living crisis as well as political decisions and antics of the hardline Conservative governments have created a “perfect storm”, and the frustration of British people have been seen in various polls. According to YouGov poll in November last year, only 32% of the public said that it was right to vote to leave the EU and 56% said that it was wrong to leave (1). According to latest YouGov poll regarding voting intention, 47% of voters would vote Labour and only 25% of voters would vote the ruling Conservatives (2). According to research published in November last year, trust in politicians is “in free fall”. 66% of British voters believe that “politicians are only out for themselves” and only 4% of the public believe that politicians are “doing their best for the country”. (3)
The chaotic years have inspired some hilarious and surreal political humor, such as art created by Cold War Steve (4, 5) and Duke Smoochem, a dystopian game created by Dan Douglas (6). Last year a 60 pence lettuce rose to world fame after it lasted longer than Prime Minister Liz Truss who became the shortest-serving PM in British history. (7, 8)
References:
1) “One in five who voted for Brexit now think it was the wrong decision” YouGov 17.11.2022
2) YouGov UK voting intention 8.3.2023
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2023/03/08/voting-intention-con-25-labour-47
3) “Revealed: trust in politicians ‘in free fall’ after ‘year of chaos’, poll reveals” IPPR 3.11.2022
4) “The art of Cold War Steve” The Guardian 15.6.2019
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2019/jun/15/the-art-of-cold-war-steve
5) “Cold War Steve: satire is my antidote to a scary world” The Guardian 15.6.2019
6) “‘Keir Starmer just ordered an alpaca airstrike!’ The game that holds up a dystopian mirror to the UK” The Guardian 8.3.2023
7) “Daily Star lettuce celebrates victory as Prime Minister Liz Truss resigns” Daily Star 20.10.2022
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/breaking-daily-star-lettuce-celebrates-28282527
8) “Lettuce rejoice: inside story of Daily Star iceberg’s triumph over Liz Truss” The Guardian 21.10.2022
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/oct/21/inside-story-daily-star-lettuce-triumph-liz-truss
IDIS Observer 