By José Alvares*
Reasoning prevailed as Biden emerged the winner of the US presidential election. To be fair, I must say the presumptive winner, as the Trump campaign is hell-bent on questioning the election outcome with multiple challenges underway, though it did not stop world leaders from congratulating the Democratic candidate.
Many wondered why this election was so keenly followed way beyond the US borders. Aside from the entertainment (a gourmet dish for any political geek), it is naive not to regard the US as still the most influential country in the world – even if the current president sought to greatly undermine it. On top of that, they make it outrightly transparent, even if the Electoral College remains a mystery to many and a polled majority wants to abolish it.
The point is, it wasn’t about Biden, or the Democrats, it was about the message that it would send the world if after this self-centered and morally depraved presidency, Americans would opt to extend this policy direction for an additional four years. It came close and the election shows how divided people are – and that is also reflective on a global scale. That is why we need people willing to engage, to respect and to negotiate, so we can work around what divides us. Point in case, the current health crisis, in which some countries have it utterly under control while others remain a Petri dish for the virus – had we all worked together, I have little doubt we could have gotten this under control for everyone already.
And that is precisely why I welcome this new US administration – call me naive or emotional, but I actually shed a tear of joy for the future – a hope of eschewing the “us against them” approach resembling those medieval times when things were taken by force rather than dialogue. It is a sign of the current state of affairs when even before Trump’s concession (if it ever comes), world leaders were already effusively congratulating Joe Biden.
Aside from COVID-19, there are global challenges to be addressed, with climate change being one of the most pressing issues. Also, ending proxy wars that are devastating to local populations (especially in the Middle East) and lead to unpredictable and unsustainable migration flows, while relentlessly pursuing terrorists (as the Obama/Biden presidency successfully did when they got Bin Laden). Also, enhancing non-proliferation of nuclear weapons agreements, as we have reached a civilization stage in which civilian casualties are not acceptable anymore.
Finally, for any talk anywhere to happen, we need to collectively move past racism – yes, that idea that a person is different because of the colour of their skin or shape of their eyes. It is interesting that toddlers play with anyone who comes before them – hopefully we adults can go back to our native instincts.
*José Alvares is a founding member at CA Lawyers
