This is a guest post by Chris Merrick, a school friend who has serious concerns with the state of the world. Most of us can say that in our lifetimes, Canada has never experienced such a direct threat to its continued existence. It is vital to build country-to-country relationships in other parts of the world. The U.S. President is not our only problem because a large number of American politicians and plutocrats are Trump’s fellow travellers.

I have been viewing the current state of affairs in certain areas of the world with increasing alarm.

The rantings, outright lies and actions taken by Trump in his first 32 days in office are unbelievable from the leader of a self described democracy.

He and his sycophant appointees have thrown out any semblance of civilized discussion, of working in harmony with fellow NATO countries, of treating fellow western democracies and trading partners with any respect.

Instead, he especially and to a lesser degree his minions have personally insulted leaders of other countries, threatened them with all kinds of punishments from tariffs, annexation, deployment of troops, economic ruin if they do not bow down and accept his crass view of what he wants. He is the epitome of a bully.

After the unbridled arrogant lecture that Vance delivered to the meeting of European leaders and the position put forward by the US Secretary of State regarding the war between the Ukraine and Russia. The EU along with the United Kingdom have to stand up, express outrage and clearly state they will not be bullied and will support Ukraine in any way that is required to achieve a peace that is acceptable to a country that has lost so many innocent civilians and suffered so  much damage over the past three years. 

It is an insult to the entire world to watch Trump play as a peace negotiator, when he directed his minions to meet with Putin’s henchmen in Saudi Arabia, a regressive country with a terrible civil rights record, to work out a peace plan without inviting Ukraine to the discussions. 

What unbridled arrogance by a person that has clearly shown he lives in a delusional world.      Then to have to witness Trump bowing down to Putin, parroting completely false statements that it was the Ukraine that started the war and trying to hold the Ukraine hostage by demanding it give its minerals to the US along with surrendering areas of the country to Russia if it wants any further assistance from the US.  

His treatment of Canada is unconscionable, to insult our leaders, to express economic ruin if we do not agree to his completely distorted views of reality regarding the distribution of drugs and illegal immigration and to openly talk about annexing our country, is an outrage.

He conveniently forgot that he sang his praiseswhen the Canada, Mexico, US Trade Agreement was negotiated during his last term, again that was after he threatened Canada and Mexico with economic ruin.  

Thankfully we have a majority of provincial leaders along with the current Prime Minister and two other federal party leaders that have stood up and said Canada is not for sale and will not accept his version of the future. 

It is very clear that appeasement will not work with a bully who clearly has mental deficiencies.  

When Canadians are threatened we will respond in kind with economic action.

His actions to date in allowing Musk to dismantle the structure and governance of the United States is unbelievable, I fear for the ordinary, not a very wealthy or billionaire citizen after four years of living under his chaotic rule.

The number of unemployed, or people put at risk to a myriad of diseases and disenfranchised people in that country will be staggering.   

One of the very serious factors that have allowed a person like Trump to succeed has been the continual distraction and addiction to mass market digital devices operated by artificial intelligence. Mobile smartphones, the Internet and social media in particular divert millions of viewers from the realities of the outside world into an alternative world of entertaining fantasies and illusions about themselves and what is happening in cyberspace instead of guarding against real threats to our survival.

A majority of people accept the promises and lies of the right to far right politicians that promise them a wonderful country, that all the woes will be fixed and they will prosper. 

People have been programmed to get their news and world information in 30 sound bites and short catchy slogans.

Now is the time for all rational citizens of every country in the world to stand up and say they will not accept the views and positions taken by bullies and dictators such as Trump and Putin.