Who are the people we look up to? Are these presidents and government officials actually good people who are role models? The idolization of politicians is very eminent in the United States, as seen by the presidential campaigns run there. When presidential candidates run, many are loyal in supporting them and defending their actions, good or bad. With the power given to government officials, especially presidents, it is easy for that power to take over and make them feel like they can do whatever they want.

Like any other human, politicians have flaws. However, politicians feel powerful and invincible if these flaws are not recognized. This is extremely dangerous considering these people run an entire country, jeopardizing the future of their country and its people. The idolization of politicians creates this perception that they can do no wrong and that people will support them no matter what harm they do.

Idolization is dangerous and harmful in the sense that people who do not deserve that power stay in power. With this, politicians take advantage of their loyalty. Supporters will believe in and follow anything they say. For example, when Donald Trump suggested injecting disinfectant at the start of the pandemic, many of his fans followed suit. Obviously, injecting disinfectant into your bloodstream will not work and is in fact, harmful, but this shows how harmful power can be in the wrong hands.

Speaking of Donald Trump, let’s uncover some of the many bad things he’s done, as well as the other things former presidents have done. Saying many negative things against many minorities, refusing to wear a mask at the peak of the coronavirus, pardoning war criminals, and even being impeached, are just some of the many terrible things he has done. Like president like fan, Trump was a sore loser when he lost the 2020 election, his fans going to attack people on social media platforms, as well as in real life. Trump supporters even stormed the capital on the 6th of January 2021, putting many in danger as he continued to encourage and support the rioters. However, when people were rioting for the Black Lives Matter movement, he called them ‘thugs’, ‘terrorists’, and ‘anarchists’, a bias seen very clearly here.

While Barack Obama has done good for the US, his failure in containing the Syria crisis has tainted his reputation forever. As for the current president Joe Biden, he isn’t exactly a good man either. Voting to gut welfare, voting for the Iraq war, withdrawing from Afghanistan. These are just more recent politicians; the use of social media significantly increasing idolization of these bad people.

How are these the people you are looking up to? How are these ignorant people in power and why are they the ones making decisions for the future of the US? Politicians are not people to look up to. Stop idolizing these bigots

Idolization of Politicians: The Problem

Sources

InSight Scoop