JRB all the way (note: 42nd POTUS is 4 years his junior)

The world has a new President, I think by now we all know that those outside the US lose more sleep over its predicament than those within. Case in point: the arse end of the world. During the Jan 6, 2021 shenanigans at the Capitol, the great racist land went into total meltdown, even people walking their dogs were talking about it. To be frank, I might have to leave Australia to get away from the hyperventilation over all things stars and stripes. To calm down conspiracy theorists, no, foreigners didn't cast a vote. You see general elections in any given country are inherently racist, they only allow the citizenry to vote. Long story short: 81,281,502 (as of writing) true patriots voted for the old white codger, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (JRB).

These United States are on the precipice this Inauguration Day. There are five questions (two foreign, three domestic) to pose to JRB, America's oldest commander-in-chief (at the ripe old age of 78 years and 61 days) and his new administration: 

1) Do you maintain the status quo by relying on the global terror power, saudi Arabia to do your dirty work in the Middle East? 

2) Do you denounce China for what it is, a a communist crony capitalist outpost that is committing genocide on a daily basis (refer to )? 

3) Is universal healthcare attainable? (even though you clearly think it's a pipe-dream). 

4) Will you be a consensus President? Even though 74,222,593 (as of writing) citizens clearly want him dead and prefer a homicidal narcissist. 

5) Will you be an executive order leader or use your razor thin senate majority to pass legislation through a bipartisan approach?

Next Inauguration Day (that's right people, I'm pressing fast-forward) is Jan 20, 2025, let's see if/how the above questions have been answered. One more thing, let's hope JRB is still alive! The average life expectancy of an American white male living in Washington, D.C. is 82 (JRB will be 82 years and 61 days when his term ends or is sworn in once again). For now, let's all shed a collective tear for the first states first president, about time Delaware (est. Dec 7, 1787).

Footnote: I understand that many suffer from short memories, so here's a mini recap of the six Presidents that came before. Listen carefully, you'll pick up a common theme (clue: it has to do with homicidal tendencies). 

Let's end MMXX with some levity

I thought I'd end the blogging year with a good news story from the arse end of the world. That's right people, in the barren cultural wasteland of Australia and its concrete epicentre (Sydney), a new cultural institution has opened, the Chau Chak Wing Museum (CCWM). 

Those outside Sydney might be asking: why should we give two hoots about culture in a city founded by homicidal Anglo-Saxon maniacs hell bent on eradicating the natives? I'll tell you why: in a city with a reliance on beaches, superficiality (its residents are sheep drowning in debt to buy ugly suburban houses) and boxed malls, it's a miracle that a new museum has opened, especially in the year that was meant to wipe out humanity (tickle me pink, earth is still going).

FYI: Australia has shut itself off to (non resident) overseas arrivals - talk about racism at its highest level (NZ visitors don't count, as they live in a backward land).

Introducing the CCWM Est. 18/11/2020 (on the grounds of the University of Sydney), mini tour provided by your fellow earthling, yours truly. 

News and notes

The US election is a mere afterthought now that an old white man has replaced another old white man (it's the 21st Century, I repeat it's the 21st century). The following is my final take on the turnout.

USA, USA, USA! The country that dominates our daily lives and gives us a reason to live, has once again flunked at democracy. A "whopping" 67% of eligible voters were bothered to take part in democracy this Presidential cycle. Now, attaining a D-grade (as according to the US grading system) is no cause for celebration. The silver-lining: this was the largest turnout since 1900 when 74% was achieved. Let's cut to the chase, out of 35 recent elections globally, the US comes in 30th for turnout. 

Footnote: As GE represents the world, I recognise that the majority of earthlings will not be entering 2021. I wish all my readers/viewers all the best for 1442 (Muslim), 2077 (Hindu), 2563 (Buddhist), 5781 (Jewish), and to all the many others that will be bringing in a year that doesn't adhere to Christian constructs. 

The Caucasus depict the worst in humans: nationalism

Believe it or not, the world is a big place full of nations extolling their racist virtues (refer to borders). As astute readers of Global Editorial are aware, we need to be better as earthlings, rise above petty jingoism. Long story short, as one with Armenian ancestry I have an understanding of what nationalism can do. Ever since I was knee high, I've heard Armenians promoting a Turkish boycott, even the spilling of blood, this went into overdrive the past few months. Sorry to burst the bubble of zealots, but I’m a globalist that will never stoop to the level of hatred based on ethnicity. (Another thing, the couple behind the Covid-19 vaccine Ugur Sahin and Özlem Türeci are Turkish, I guess no vaccine for Armenians). Now that a tentative peace agreement has been reached in the Nagorno-Karabakh (NK) conflict, I will risk death threats to voice my two cents. This all ties into the op-ed I wrote in 2018, the peaceful rise to power of Nikol Pashinyan, at the time the antithesis of years of corrupt rule. 

https://globaleditorial.blogspot.com/2018/04/apricot-revolution-not-quite_24.html

This was a major turning point for Armenia, long considered a Russian satellite unable to break free of the quasi authoritarian poison that it has endured since declaring independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. 19 months ago I warned Armenians that this might be an oasis, even with a peaceful uprising there comes caveats, and in this case it was Pashinyan having to deal with the devil, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) - long hell-bent on payback for the genocide, mainly coming in the form of taking back Turkish lands. Even though NK (Armenians refer to it as Artsakh) is internationally recognised as Azeri land, Armenians took it by force in 1994, and ever since has been an autonomous Armenian state (80% of its population being ethnic Armenians). Long story short, Pashinyan didn’t want to be embroiled in another conflict, and so when he was caught off guard with Azeri aggression a few months ago, he had to dig in, due to the ARF pact. Cut to November 9, thousands of troops and civilians dead on both sides and he falls for the Russian curse. So much for a peaceful uprising in 2018, bringing in a new dawn of democracy with the ability function outside the Russian yolk.

Not to blow my on trumpet, but I have been vindicated, not that I say this as a gloating mechanism. My gut told me after NP came to power that he would struggle to weigh up the Russian and ARF influence. This part of the world is not yet for a government free of military rhetoric and Mother Russia. In less than two months Armenia suffered not only casualties, but lost parts of NK (Azerbaijan now has a transport corridor connecting it to Turkey via Nakhchivan). November 9, 2020 will now go down in history as the beginning of the end of Armenia’s modern progress. Waving the white flag at Russia's insistence gives Putin what he wanted, Russian peacekeepers in NK. Some say this is payback for not allowing Putin to meet with his fellow crony pal Robert Kocharyan (Armenia's former President, currently behind bars over corruption at NP's behest). Put it this way, Putin's not happy with the peaceful transition of power taking place in his sphere, he was outraged after the Georgia Rose revolution and was displeased that Armenia went down the same track. You display any semblance of democracy and Vlad gets cranky, so much so he sits back during the NK conflict until such time he is invited to bring peace - classic modern-day Russian gamesmanship. 

I shouldn’t mention the bogey man in the room, but I will: Turkey. Their kinship with the Azeri’s is now strengthened and they get to keep Russia on their side. Armenia hasn’t had the best of luck when it comes to receiving assistance from Superpowers (particularly the USA). No one bothered to protect Armenia during the 1915 genocide, Soviets finally coming to the rescue once 1.5 million were exterminated. Even when the NK conflict first flared up in 1994, the US was silent. It was a given that this recent episode wouldn’t get America’s attention, largely due to the government having no interest in geopolitics. Funny how the 45th President (shall remain nameless due to being discord to the dustbin of bigoted leaders of the adulterer variety) appeased his base with Christian talk, yet couldn’t be bothered to help Armenia, the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion. Then again, both Azerbaijan and Turkey are led by autocrats, which was the dream of no. 45. Now that we no longer have to worry about a Mussolini wannabe with the nuclear codes, I still don’t see much change with no. 46. JRB’s slight positive is that he won’t openly grovel to strong men, but that’s a topic for another day. 

Long story short, women and children perished unnecessarily over another land grab. Everyone will believe what they want to believe, mainly dictated by your ancestry, Personally, I think blame lies on both sides for this recent conflict. This comment alone will garner death threats, now you know why I despise nationalism. We humans are raised to hate, we have no choice on our identity at birth, yet we grow up spewing hatred in the name of an origin story we have no say in. As a human with Armenian origin, I hereby denounce all those that hide behind a flag. Yes, Armenians killed innocent earthlings just like the Azeri’s did. 

NK is a microcosm of the hate in the world. Even if you’re not connected to this conflict in any cultural way, remember, we’re a planet full of hate, let’s start a revolution of not being programmed to hate by our parents/environment, instead open our minds to the fact that we could have all been born into the identity of our enemy. Think about it, please, for the sake of humanity! Okay, I’ll count to three, and let the hate begin. I’m better than you due to my physical appearance, country of birth - what the hell does that even mean? We’re all Africans, dam it, yet we still kill our fellow man while sharing their DNA. If any aliens are reading this, we humans are so evolved that we no longer invade territories on earth (under the guise of our blind patriotism) to expand our insecurities - pigs might fly!!!

Land of 13 Months of Sunshine is on the precipice

I get it, there has been an over saturation of coverage on the on-going crisis in Ethiopia, to the point that every media outlet (whether it be terrestrial or social media) is banging on about it ad nauseam. Okay, I got you! We all know that this land of sunshine is once again being ignored, let's hope this time we don't need a bunch of superficial celebrities coming together (circa 1985) to recognise some 110 million of our fellow earthlings.

I will not stop highlighting this great nation that speaks the language of Christ (Aramaic), until such time it garners wall-to-wall coverage. If you have forgotten or God forbid didn't know already, Abiy Ahmed (4th Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. I think I lost most of you (blame your addiction on a Superpower that shall remain nameless), which is a shame. Ahmed was bestowed this honour for his efforts to bring peace with Eritrea. Only one problem, he is now waging a war with the Northern separatists in Tigray (one of nine regions that make up Ethiopia) aligned with Eritrea, Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). 

For good or bad, I think the Noble committee stuffed up this time around. Ahmed has a lot going for him, well, not really. He has us fooled with his charisma and youthfulness (being a product of a Muslim father, Christian mother is also appealing), the man is undertaking ethnic profiling, we all know where that leads - you hear me, 1936 Deutschland. Since coming to power in April 2018, nearly 2 million Ethiopians have fled their homes, creating a mass internal refugee problem. All for Ahmed's preoccupation with controlling Tigray. Autonomy should be the name of the game here, last thing Ethiopia needs is taxpayers money going towards a civil war, especially seeing as in 2019 it recorded an impressive 8.97 jump in GDP (not to mention life expectancy of 66, pretty solid for a nation three decades removed from famine).

Breaking news: the land of 3.2 humans per square kilometre (Australia) has agreed to take in the displaced from the land of 115 humans per square kilometre (Ethiopia). Who am I kidding? Australians whine about traffic, and there's that little thing they master (racism), so good luck getting this empty continent to help its fellow man. Reminder: all of us originated from Africa, even pasty white bigots.

Back to the Tigrayan people, they make up nearly 10% of the population and are 90% Christian. The TPLF was a major part of the ruling coalition until Ahmed came to power, after which he dismantled a coalition of ethnically diverse parties to create one national party. Many might think Ahmed (who identifies as Muslim) is out to get the Christian north. This looks more like a territorial issue, but sadly humans sometimes only notice a conflict if it fits our own worldview. For instance, a religious organisation will only help if it can grow their congregation. Here's a novel idea: how about we do the right thing, help anyone in need unconditionally. Many greedy First World inhabitants will be asking: why care about Ethiopia when we have our own issues? To those particular in the West, let's see, you spend way too much on four-legged creatures, so maybe divert the funds to actually sponsor a refugee.

People love to go to Ethiopian restaurants and consume coffee with Ethiopian beans. The time has come to rise above your foodie interest in the Horn of Africa and actually pressure the leadership in the countries you reside in to take action against this "man of peace". A leader of the second most populous nation in Africa is having a mini Mussolini moment, let' nip it in the bud before it destroys one of the great civilisations. 

Two words for uptight (non US) aliens: calm down!

Thank you to all those that worship the US from afar (even though you don't have American residency, pay taxes to the IRS, posses a social security number). You have given me the ammunition to rant for 302 seconds on election day, don't let the idyllic background fool you. 

Mrs Macquaries Point - Sydney, Australia (a nation that is not eligible to vote in USA decides)

FYI: Here are the results from the ballot measures (proves once again, grassroots America is alive and well).

https://globaleditorial.blogspot.com/2020/10/only-in-america-delectable-voting-menu.html

Arizona

Proposition 207: Yes

California 

Proposition 16: No

Proposition 22: Yes

Colorado

Proposition 118: Yes

Florida

Amendment 2: Yes

Louisiana

Amendment 1: Yes

Michigan

Proposal 2: Yes

Mississippi

Ballot Measure 1A: Yes

Montana

I-190: Yes

Nebraska

Amendment 1: Yes

Nevada

Question 2: Yes

Oregon

Measure 109: Yes

Measure 110: Yes

South Dakota

Initiated Measure 26: Yes

Utah

Constitutional Amendment C: Yes