The United States is most often attributed as the policeman of the world. Whether or not the United States should continue its role as the global policeman is a separate debate.
However, the US must retrospect look to see how the role of the government itself remained unethical and promoted genocide of native Americans in the past.
The US also fought wars across the globe to implement their own version of democracy, yet the democracy was startled in the country itself over the years in various forms.
Whether it was in the form of the native American genocide right after independence, the promotion of slavery in the country, the anti-immigration laws of Donald Trump, white supremacy, or the Capitol Hill siege in the modern days, most of the events qualify to be included in the 10 stages of genocide that can shape the events drastically, if remaining untackled.
How did genocide happen in the US in the past, and how did it shape the events in recent times? Let’s dig deeper to solve the mystery of the ten stages of genocide in the United States.
Republicans Walking the Brutal Path: Donald Trump’s 10 Stages of Genocide:
The actions of the former president Donald Trump also qualify to be included in the 10 stages of genocide.
- Classification is the first stage of genocide. At this stage, the concept of diversity in the people is not respected, and one specific group of people is perceived as superior to others. This is also one of the basics of ethnophobia when the irrational fear of “other ethnicity” dominates. The anti-immigrant rhetoric of Donald Trump shook the basics of American diversity. While Trump continued suggesting that only illegal immigration would be reduced in the US, the reality suggests otherwise. The first of the 10 stages of genocide, i.e., classification, played a crucial role in this regard. Trump continued promoting negativity for the other cultures and people of the other nations, which resulted in the making of the extremists’ laws.
- Next comes the symbolization stage, in which the radical group is forced to portray that they are “different” than others. This notion of being different can be portrayed in various forms, of which dress is the most important one. The radical supporters of Donald Trump used to wear specific outfits carrying radical posters displaying the message of hatred. All of this can be seen in the rallies of the white supremacist groups, including Proud Boys and QAnon, where these types of symbols have become a routine now.
- In the 10 stages of genocide then comes the stage of discrimination. The cumulative effect of the first two stages reflects in this stage. This was seen in Trump’s anti-immigration laws and the making of the Mexico wall. The Trump administration tried its best to revoke Obama’s DACA and Dreamers Act until the Supreme Court called the move unconstitutional. Had it not been about the involvement of the Supreme Court in the matter, the actions of Donald Trump were bound to trigger genocide in recent times.
- In the dehumanization stage of the 10 stages of genocide, the basic human rights are snatched from the subjected group. The statistics decry that the Trump administration tried its best to dehumanize Black Americans during the last four years. The killing of George Floyd may have triggered a severe reaction across the globe, but it was just a routine act in the Trump administration. Under Trump, the people of color suffered on the economic, social, and judicial fronts, which is one of the stages of genocide.
- After this, organization, polarization, and preparation are the stages that follow in genocide. The organized white supremacists are a clear example in this regard. These same groups were appreciated a lot of times from the balcony of the White House. Even Trump failed to speak a word against the Proud Boys in the presidential debate, which motivated these radical groups even further. The involvement of these entities in the Congressional attack is a clear example of how Trump harbored them over the years.
- Of the 10 stages of genocide, the last three stages include persecution, extermination, and denial. The expulsion of Trump from the White House in the 2020 presidential election saved the United States from these last three stages of genocide, yet he tried his best to substantiate all the 10 stages of genocide during his tenure.
Native Americans Genocide: A Mission to Expel Americans from America
All of the current territories of the United States were not part of America in earlier times. The United States’ history is full of westward expansions that happened over time.
While some states negotiated with America and became part of the country, others were snatched from the Native Americans.
The settlers who came to the United States during the second half of the 18th century swept through the Native Americans, resulting in the heart-wrenching events that shaped the United States for times to come. The native Americans paid the price for being the inhabitants of the land as the European settlers continued massacring them.
The shocking decline in the number of Native Americans suggests that all those events must have fulfilled the 10 stages of genocide back then.
North America was the home to almost 5 million to 15 million Native Americans in the 1400s. However, this number reduced to almost 238,000 in the 19th century. Many were murdered, others fled during the expansionism of the country.
Native Americans faced misery as they were snatched from the roofs over their heads and their lives were at stake. The United States government authorized almost 1500 raids against the Native Americans to assist the settlers.
The settlers expelled the indigenous people of America from all the possible avenues. To add insult to injury, the old practices of agriculture were destroyed that kicked off the crisis of hunger as well
This is why the upcoming times saw action taken against the Indians, promoting genocide against the Native Americans.
George Washington used the phrase “Wild Beast of the Forest” to describe Indians.
Almost 38 Indians were hanged in the biggest mass execution of US history in 1862 under the presidency of Abraham Lincoln.
Theodore Roosevelt even said that,
“I don’t go so far as to think that the only good Indians are the dead Indians, but I believe nine out of every 10 are. And I shouldn’t like to inquire too closely into the case of the tenth.”
(Theodore Roosevelt)
All of this happened before the awareness against the native American genocide was raised in the United States in the later years.
The Way Forward:
It is time for the United States government to learn from the mistakes of the past. The recent events evince that the genocide is not only the problem of the third world countries.
Despite being a post-industrialized society, the promotion of genocide in the democratic emblem of the world is a signal of shame.
The United States has often complained about human rights abuse in other countries. Sometimes they have accused China of genocide; other times, they pointed fingers at the Middle Eastern countries. The recent coup in Burma also triggered a severe response from the US.
While it is not a falsified approach to act as a human rights watchdog and promote peace in other parts of the world, however, introspection is the need of the hour for the United States.
It is easy to point fingers at others but having a president who is impeached because of the Congressional riot is worst than anything else, as it just makes the US a laughing stock in the world.
Eli is a Political Data Scientist with over thirty years of experience in Data Engineering, Analytics, and Digital Marketing. Eli uses his expertise to give the latest information and distinctive analysis on US Political News, US Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, and Racial Justice equipping readers with the inequivalent knowledge.