Obey: "Donald Trump is the worst president in US history, he's a dictator"

He became famous in the US thanks to the

with the image of a fighter and the inscription

("Andres the Giant has a group") and in 2008 he achieved world renown for the

poster

with the portrait of

in the presidential elections.

The image, incidentally, ended in a civil lawsuit filed by the Associated Press agency, which ended with the author's sentence to two years of probation, 300 hours of community service and $ 25,000 (21

.140 euros) in legal fees, for using and retouching an independent photographer's photo without having the rights. Shepard Fairey, international star of street art known by his alias

, continues to create and exhibit at its 50 years.

"Dissent is necessary to build a better world together," he says.

"The good of the individual only counts if it is the good of all individuals."

The United States is the country with the most Covid-19 infections and fatalities in the world.

President Donald Trump, interviewed by Bob Woodward, has admitted to downplaying the seriousness of the problem so as not to trigger panic.

Trump thinks only of himself, not of higher welfare or caring for the people.

His statements about his decision not to want to create panic are only true based on one of his goals: not to disturb the balances of Wall Street.

The Republicans' view is that you shouldn't yell 'fire' in a crowded theater, which is true only if the theater isn't actually on fire.

If Trump had not treated the pandemic with biased arguments and had been honest with American citizens from the start, thousands of lives could have been saved.

Let's try to look beyond the presidential elections on November 3 and think about the future of the country, what do you think should change in the mentality of Americans?

I think there is a dark side to the American culture of the

.

I think a lot of people interpret it as the freedom to behave recklessly and selfishly.

I believe in freedom, but in a freedom balanced by a sense of responsibility towards a greater good, that of the community.

The inadequate response to the emergency is not only causing millions of deaths, it is also attacking the economy and increasing social inequalities.

So is.

I am very fortunate, because I have continued to work during the pandemic and, like me, most of my staff who are telecommuting.

We had to make sacrifices for safety reasons, but we are very lucky: our business, unlike many others, has never stopped.

The health crisis has forced us to change individual behaviors, relationships, to review priorities: do you think that, after such a shocking experience, we will fare better?

In the response to the pandemic, I noticed that a large number of people sacrificed themselves for the common good: this gives me hope.

I think it can serve as a model to advance the necessary fight against climate change.

The 'Hope' poster with the portrait of Obama is one of the most successful and viral images in the history of the American elections.

What do you think of the Democrats' decision to nominate Joe Biden?

And what do you think of Kamala Harris being your second?

After an African American, is the US not ready for a president yet?

Trump is probably the worst president in history, certainly the worst I have ever met in my life.

He is not interested in the common good, he prefers to be a dictator and continue to corrupt justice, to exercise absolute power, without the mechanisms of democratic control.

Biden was not my first choice as a candidate for president, I admit it, but I think the 'ticket' with Harris can help the country get back to normal.

A black vice president will also be a turning point, although I would like to see a woman in the presidency and more women in all decision centers.

Racism and sexism are two huge problems in America, and anyone who is honest and pays attention to the facts cannot help but acknowledge it.

Deniers are ignorant people;

or people who don't want to give power to anyone but a white man.

The racial issue does not seem to be resolved in the US.

The Obama presidency was a symbol of hope in that sense, but now it seems that we are witnessing an involution.

Do you see new leaders in the Black Lives Matter movement capable of making a difference?

Racism never went away, but Donald Trump encouraged racists to speak up.

It is one of the most heartbreaking themes, because it summarizes many of the social justice struggles that I am involved in: racial discrimination, abuse of police power, and economic injustice.

Blacks and Hispanics are incarcerated at higher rates for the same crimes committed by whites.

They accumulate less wealth for their families throughout their lives and there are many other insidious forms of marginalization that many refuse to admit.

Some black leaders like Bryan Stevenson, who founded the Fair Justice Initiative, and filmmaker Ava DuVernay are a huge source of inspiration to me.

There are young black activists who are doing important and smart work.

The word 'dissent' is central to your poetic work: what does it mean to go against the tide, to maintain a critical approach to reality?

I think there is an insane tendency for people to align themselves with power or the status quo.

The oppressors know how to exploit this, to get people to converge on their agenda.

It is very important to analyze, question, disagree, especially when the dominant system or practices do not reflect our values.

It may sound simplistic, but I find that when I keep my eyes and mind open, when I inform myself as accurately as possible, my need to disagree is automatically triggered.

It manifests itself in my art and in the way I communicate with my interlocutors specifically or with the whole world whenever I can.

I also try to support through art and donations organizations that present a critical point of view of mainstream thinking to improve society.

To what extent do you think that dissent can continue to be exercised in a society that, through social networks, encourages homologation with often unattainable models and with the search for approval from peers?

Social networks have normalized the most extreme views and examples of well-being and materialism.

I think that the fragmentation of the media implies the existence of multiple realities, which may interest people according to their preferences and the type of media tool they use or frequent.

Although I believe in the power of democracy, I also believe that everyone can disagree with media sensationalism, which has degraded journalism and objective truth.

We all have a responsibility to transform the world as we would like it to be and to move civilization forward rather than backward.

At this point, I think that dealing with the planet, with the truth and with humanity is the most rebellious position we can take, at least in my opinion.

To continue reading for free

Sign inSign up

Or

and you will have access to all the web content of El Mundo

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more