The (Deeply) Divided States of America

No matter how this election turns out, no matter who wins this race in the coming days, the loser is already decided: The United States of America.

In 2016, the Democrats blamed their unexpected loss on poor voter turnout. They blamed it on how the election day is not a national holiday, and mobilized forces to increase voter turnout through mail-in ballot. They hoped for a blue wave, for a landslide victory, especially after seeing how President Trump has made a clown out of himself and his country, time and time again.

And yet, the blue wave was nowhere to be seen. The prophesied landslide became a drawn out, arduous waiting game. Names are called, mud is slung, and battle rallies can already be heard.

Even on my social media, which comprises mainly of Vietnamese who will likely never be able to vote on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November, the difference in opinions is both stark and divisive. It is both amusing and saddening to see Vietnamese netizens engage in virtual screaming matches over the planet’s Number 1 popularity contest, America’s presidential election.

Supporting Trump is no longer a favorite pastimes of wannabe pundits. It has evolved to become the Cult of Trump.

The Cult of Trump

Trump was the dark horse of 2016. Back then, he was supported, at first by denizens of 4chan: Edgy twenty-something shut-ins who fancied a great mockery of American politics by electing an airheaded…