OCTOBER 31 — In a couple of days, America will choose. The people of the USA will decide who will be their next leader. In past many months, there have been debates, revelations of alleged scandals and analysis of the two candidates who would be the next President. But are the American people choosing who is the better and more fitting leader or who is the lesser evil?
It would seem from the responses and reactions so far, that it is the latter.
In the movie Fantastic Four, Susan Storm asked the Silver Surfer why he was destroying earth. When the Silver Surfer said he had no choice, Storm countered, ‘There is always a choice”.
For the people of the USA, is there a choice? One can hardly call it ‘a choice’. For many, it is an emotion-based choice rather than one based on facts. They choose the person they are less disturbed by and angry with, and based on how the media frame the good and bad of each candidate. The fact that they are in the state they are now, is because some people have chosen emotionally. And the truth is, that is exactly how we choose most of the time.
But still, how is choosing a leader based on who is the lesser evil, a choice? Do the people really have the freedom to choose? Think of it this way. A child should not be forced to choose between living with either abusive parents, just because one parent’s abuse is more tolerable than the other. When it comes to that, that child no longer has the freedom to choose.
A similar situation has played out in Britain recently with Brexit. And in Malaysia, the people will soon be faced with the same dilemma and decision-making. Who do we choose? Can we not choose either? Do we really have the freedom to choose?
Like how the Silver Surfer responded to Susan Storm when she said there is always a choice, he said, ‘Not always’.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.
