(pode ler este artigo em português aqui)
That the effects of global warming are a tendency for hurricanes and all sorts of storms to grow in frequency, strength, and size is general knowledge. The vast majority of scientists across the world agree that global warming is real and has climactic effects that intensify nature’s wrath. A large part of the minuscule percentage of scientific research that disagrees with these sort of conclusions is, to the surprise of no one, funded by polluting industry groups. Those who don’t see it simply don’t want to.
That there is a sector of Western society that denies or questions this is also unquestionable. We have those who don’t see it among us, who influence others who don’t want to see it in neighboring places. A small, consternating fraction of people reject the scientific consensus that explains climate change to us. These people don’t want anything to do with inconvenient truths that suppose that their lifestyles or their livelihoods are bad or have consequences for the planet that gives us sustenance. Rejecting climate science goes along with a surging popularization of other anti-scientific attitudes, a true problem of our modern times.
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However, what has become ever more evident, scientific even, is the inability of the president to act in any interest that isn’t personal
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What does the elaboration on climate science have to do with anything? Well, confronted with the forces of Hurricane Harvey, the president has shown himself to be incapable of showing a minimum of preoccupation with (eventual) victims of this natural disaster. The scale of damage caused by the hurricane is already reaching records for the country and it was known that it would be the case before it arrived on the shores of Texas. Regardless, the president only had “good luck!” to say to those affected.
In the midst of this scenario, he pardoned a sheriff known for making prisons under his management into what was described as concentration camps, among other human rights violations. The cancelation of the DACA program was also concretized in this period. DACA gives a form of legal amnesty to undocumented immigrants who were taken to the country as small children. This way, they can work, study, and pay taxes with no complications, but also have no route to citizenship. These people, who are popularly called Dreamers, have widespread sympathy across the country. The motive for revoking their rights is explained by their status as undocumented immigrants, despite growing up their whole lives in the US. The ban on trans people serving in the military was also formally implemented.
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So much unpleasant, senseless, and unpopular news all at once. All of it in a context of (deserved) media preoccupation with the hurricane.
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What this shows us is that Trump serves only his own interests and takes advantage of moments of distraction or greater interest to accomplish illicit acts that wouldn’t pass by the public or even Congress so easily were it not the case. While he makes good on his campaign promises, in whichever way possible, he attempts to hide the most unpopular aspects of them from the public amid chaos. It doesn’t matter what the dimension of tragedy is, so long as the moment is opportune for implementing his preferred policies.
Good luck!