RJ Writing Ink

A Message to Donald Trump on Why He Lost the Election

Hello, there, guys. You all know me and what I’m about. I write about pop culture: anime, movies, video games, cartoons, and more. I avoid getting political here. Yet as I sit here today, I feel that there are things that must be said.

If you haven’t been on social media or turned on the news today, then you may not know that Joe Biden has officially carried Pennsylvania, giving him the electoral votes needed to win the 2020 Presidential Election. In other words, Joe Biden is now our next President. There are still some votes that need counting, but it looks like it’s over.

I do not wish to use this time to disparage those who voted for Donald Trump. They voted for who they wanted to run our country, and they’ve got the right to do so. Instead, I’m going to use this to say some things to @RealDonaldTrump.

Donald Trump, I have watched your actions over the past four years as the President of the United States and have found your ability to lead our country wanting. You may not understand why you lost re-election, but I see multiple reasons why.

First, there is no denying that under your administration, the US economy has made great gains. Unemployment went down, wages began to go up; life seemed good. But while all this was going on, the wealthy elite of this country only got richer and richer while far it seems far too many failed to get any of the benefits. Worse, with the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, millions of Americans have found themselves laid off or without jobs. That is not what we need as a country.

Second, your failure in dealing with the COVID-19 Pandemic has been extremely wanting. You have repeatedly ignored the advice of doctors and scientists who know more about deadly viruses than you ever will. For the longest time, you refused to go out without wearing a mask, and as a result, you yourself got infected with the virus. Worse still, you knew how dangerous the virus was, yet you tried to downplay it to prevent a panic. You should have focused on preparing us for the threat, but instead you spent your time spreading misinformation about ways to combat the virus, to the detriment of the country.

Third, your unwillingness to acknowledge climate change for the existential threat that it is appalls me. Climate change is real, it’s happening right now, and we are on the verge of altering our planet in a way that it may never recover from. Now is the time when we as a nation should work to solve this problem with the same fortitude and innovation that has led us to become the great land we are. Instead, you encourage the burning of fossil fuels, decrease the size of national forests, and withdraw us from the Paris Climate Accord. You and your generation may not live to face the consequences, but guess what? Mine will, and my kids will, and that terrifies me more than anything.

Fourth, your behavior towards people of different genders and ethnicities has been disgusting. Not only have you failed to condemn the actions of racists groups across the country, it feels like you’ve encouraged them. In the aftermath of the death of George Floyd, instead of listening to what the protestors had to say about the flaws in our law enforcement, you threatened to call the National Guard on them. On June 1st, as a group of nonviolent protestors stood on Lafayette Street in Washington D.C., you ordered the police to disperse them using tear gas and other means. All so you could take a stupid photo in front of a church. It was an affront to our First Amendment rights to assemble in protest and you should be ashamed of yourself for it.

Finally, your behavior over the course of this Presidential Election has been abhorrent. First, you claimed you won even before the election was officially called. Then you repeatedly tried to end the counting of votes in several states. Why? Because you were afraid because you knew you’d lose. So you reacted like you always do: by trying to brow-beat people into submission. Your actions in this election have made clear to all who you are: you’re a bully.

You have lost this election, both in the popular vote and in the electoral college. You have sown mistrust and discord in our country that will take years to recover from. Your behavior as a leader has made our country look like a joke on the world stage. And it is for all these reasons that you have lost. And I have been waiting four years to say these words.

Mr. Trump, You’re Fired

South Park Season 23, Episode 6- “Season Finale” Review

In the first half of South Park’s 23rd Season, Randy Marsh became the Walter White of marijuana. He’s killed dozens of cows while high, murdered Winnie the Pooh, and worst of all, the Halloween Special. It looked as though viewers needed to wait until the end of the Season to see Randy brought down. However, last night’s episode “Season Finale” seemed to finally throw fans a bone. In addition, it did all this while tying together the plots of most of the episodes.

The episode starts off with Randy being arrested by the police. They figured out he blew up everyone’s pot gardens in “Mexican Joker”, and they have the footage to prove it. In addition, all of Randy’s other actions have essentially left South Park sick of Tegridy Farms.

I made my dislike for Tegridy Farms clear from the beginning, and it looks like Matt and Trey took notice of the fans dislike. I looked at the comments in the teaser for this episode, and a lot of them shared my disdain. It’s clear that Tegridy Farms wore out its welcome, and the writers know it.

The ones who are most excited about Randy’s arrest are, naturally, the Marsh’s. If Randy goes to jail, then they can move back to South Park and live their old lives again. They’re so happy at the prospect that they throw a party to celebrate. It’s at this point, though, that the town goes through its crisis of the week.

No One Cares About the Whites

While playing football in the park, a kid named Jason White gets run over by a cop car. In real life, this would be a horrific tragedy, but in South Park, few people care. Except for the Whites, who we last saw in “Splatty Tomato”. Mr. White uses his son’s funeral to complain about how no one cares about them. I think it’s supposed to satirize how Caucasians are becoming the minority in America, but I didn’t care. They also happen to be big supporters of Tegridy Farms, and they show up to ruin the Marsh’s party. Cartman, in a rare display of sympathy, offers to help the White’s move on from the loss of Jason. The place he sends them to, though, is one the show’s familiar with: the ICE detention camp.

The story involving the ICE detention camp never got resolved, so I felt surprised to see it brought back. However, this time the show knows what’s its bashing and doesn’t hold back on it. In this case, South Park tears into ICE’s policy of letting the kids of deported parents be adopted by American families. The fact that it’s portrayed like a pet center’s not only black comedy gold, but reinforces how inhumane the practice is.

At any rate, the White’s adopt a Mexican boy named Alejandro, and viewers see how harmful their actions can be. While they think they’re being loving and affectionate foster parents, Alejandro doesn’t see it that way. All he wants is to see his actual parents, which the Whites fail to understand. This ultimately leads to Alejandro snapping in the biggest way possible.

Randy Marsh Has a Sobering Realization

Meanwhile, Randy Marsh, now cut off from Tegridy Weed, starts to feel guilt for his actions. He calls President Garrison for advice and tries to use his “reverse-blame” tactic, but it fails. Fully sober, Randy realizes how big a jerk he’s been the whole season. At his subsequent hearing, Randy owns up to his actions and that he deserves to be in jail.

Considering how much of a bonehead Randy’s been this season, this moment feels almost cathartic. For a moment or two, it even looks like Tegridy Farms will be brought down for good. Then, the status quo steps in with a bang.

Having snapped over his anger at the US, Alejandro starts causing way more destruction than a normal boy should be capable of. Since the White’s covered him in sunscreen, he looks exactly like Mexican Joker. As a result, Alejandro gets all the blame as he flees the police, leaving Randy a free man. DRAT!

Tegridy Farms Future?

So, Randy Marsh got off the hook for everything that he did, and Tegridy Farms remains in business. I wanted to see his weed business go down, but “Season Finale” reaffirmed my belief that this won’t happen until the finale. That is, if it happens at all. For now, though, the show makes it look like Tegridy Farms’ done for the forseeable future. As in, the growing season for weed’s done. That’s where the title “Season Finale” comes.

It felt good to see Randy get a taste of karma, even if the status quo meant he got off the hook in the end. However, I remain skeptical over whether or not he’s learned his lesson. If the show’s smart, then it will stop focusing on Tegridy Farms. It’s been forever since we had a classic episode about the four main boy. If we’re lucky, it will focus on that in the remaining episodes. Howerver, I now want to see if they’ll do anything with Alejandro and the Mexican Joker plot. That’s too big a plot thread to leave by the wayside. For now, though, I think this was one of the better episodes of the season. Second only to “SHOTS!!!” in my opinion.

I Give “Season Finale” a 4/5.

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