China News Service, December 30 (Gan Tian, ​​Bian Lei, Guo Xin, Wei, Meng Xiangjun) In 2020, the descriptions of their country heard by the American people seem to come from two parallel worlds.

  At the party conference, the Republican Party considered the "active and bright" America-the epidemic is receding, the economy is recovering, and systemic racism does not exist; on the other hand, it is the "dark age" America described by the Democratic Party- -The epidemic is raging, the economy is down, and anti-racial discrimination activities are sweeping the country.

  "American Dream" and "American Disease", which one is the real America?

Data map: On May 29, 2020 local time, Denver, United States, demonstrators tore up an American flag.

"American patient" "high fever"

  In early December, a selfie of Nevada's new crown emergency doctor Jacob Kieberman caused huge controversy in the United States.

  From the beginning of autumn, the intensive care unit of this hospital was nearly full, so the underground parking lot had to be temporarily transformed into a ward.

Before the patient moved in, Kieberman took a picture with the unopened ventilator as the background.

  Unexpectedly, the photo was locked by conspiracy theorists as soon as it was published, and it became the “iron proof” of the so-called “new crown epidemic is a hoax”: “There are no patients!” “Fake hospital!”... President Trump has also reposted these rumors on social media.

The picture shows a selfie of the American COVID-19 emergency doctor Jacob Kiberman.

(Image source: Screenshot of Jacob Kiberman social network)

  This incident is just one of the epitome of the chaos in the "American anti-epidemic".

  "The United States lags behind almost any country in the world in epidemic prevention."

Not only did the liberal media make such accusations on behalf of the New York Times, but even Fox TV, which has always been conservative, also publicly pointed out the huge risks of Trump's promotion of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of new crowns.

Trump replied: "Fox is no longer the same Fox."

  Now, as the number of confirmed diagnoses has soared, two vaccines in the United States have finally been approved for marketing.

New contradictions follow one after another: wealthy businessmen and celebrities are vying for priority vaccination, while medical staff are protesting against the unfair distribution of vaccines; on the other hand, a large number of vaccines are scrapped due to improper transportation and storage, and on the other hand, vaccinators are responding severely, and the public's willingness to vaccinate is low... …

  "When I realized that many fellow Americans regarded selfishness more important than community, power more important than justice, and incitement more important than science... my American dream was shattered." In the New York Times In a report entitled "The Obituary of the American Dream," one interviewee lamented.

On February 6, 2020, US President Trump delivered a speech on the "not guilty" verdict in the impeachment case.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Mengtong

Political polarization "unhealed for a long time"

  And what kind of transcripts did the builders of the "American Dream" and the powerful decision makers in Washington hand over in the many "big exams" in 2020?

  When the anti-racism wave swept across the United States, the Democratic Party criticized Trump for intensifying contradictions, and Trump accused the Democratic governor of "incompetence." After Justice Ginsberg’s death, Trump’s successor, Barrett, No votes were approved by any Democrats in the Senate; even postal reform has become a struggle "prop", and the two parties staged a battle for votes ahead of time.

  At the critical moment when it is most necessary to cross political divisions and unite society to fight the epidemic, the two parties did not put aside their differences, but fought a "war of words."

"The inaction of the US government, which regards maintaining economic growth... more important than national health, has politicized the epidemic." In an interview with a reporter from Chinanews.com, Liu Weidong, a researcher at the American Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out.

  The source of political polarization in the United States may be traced back to the cultural civil war that took place in the 1960s. Afterwards, the impeachment of former President Clinton made the two parties even more confrontational. In the Obama era, partisan differences have become very serious.

According to the Pew Research Center, a think tank, “the relatively rigid bipartisan election system in the United States breaks down a series of legitimate social and political debates into a single “front”,” highlighting differences.

  Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations at the China Foreign Affairs University, pointed out that the political polarization in the United States is "related to the fragmentation of voter groups and the reorganization of different interest groups in the United States after the end of the Cold War."

  He further analyzed and said, “In American electoral politics, some politicians put forward and support many extreme propositions in order to meet the needs of voters in their electoral districts. The opposition between different extreme propositions is becoming more and more serious.” Some politicians lack responsibilities. Consciousness, gaining power by creating divisions and confrontations, has become a common method.

  In addition, a documentary film "America's Great Divide: From Obama to Trump" broadcast by the US Public Radio almost concluded that this division will not be repaired.

The Washington, D.C. government of the United States painted the words "The life of a black man is also a life" on the 16th Street road leading to the White House.

Anti-epidemic and protest throughout the year

  Political polarization has deepened social conflicts and antagonisms. The two words "anti-epidemic" and "protest" have run through this year in the United States.

  It has been 57 years since the leader of the African-American civil rights movement Martin Luther King called out "I have a dream."

However, in the United States in 2020, whether it is education, work, public interest, or even the most basic right to life, many African Americans are still in a plight.

  From the African-American man Freud who was "kneeled" to death by the police and shouted "I can't breathe!", to thousands of protesters brandishing placards and yelling "The life of a black man is also life". What's the difference between running and screaming compared with the silent era more than 150 years ago?

  According to the Atlantic Monthly "New Crown Tracking Program" data, as of now, more than 50,000 African Americans have died from the new crown in the United States, and the death rate is 1.7 times that of whites.

The British "Financial Times" bluntly said: "Nothing better reflects the differences in skin color among Americans than life and death under the epidemic."

  It is not only African Americans who are hurt by racism.

Investigations show that since the outbreak, public racial discrimination against Asian Americans has become more common.

Nearly 30% of Asian Americans said they had suffered racial discrimination or ridicule.

  The United States itself has a group that deeply supports white supremacy. At present, because there are still employment and economic problems within the society, the racial problem has not been alleviated, but has increased.

Li Haidong analyzed.

  Liu Weidong pointed out that on the issue of racial discrimination, the Trump administration has always expressed "ambiguity."

In the Freud incident, it did not focus on condemning white supremacy, but condemning acts such as beating, smashing and looting. This also produced a certain public opinion orientation and affected American society.

  "There is no way to solve it."

Liu Weidong said that although the content of racial discrimination no longer exists in American law, in reality, many implicit discriminations have become established concepts.

Data map: On December 21, 2020, US President-elect Biden publicly vaccinated the new crown vaccine in the hospital.

What medicine must be prescribed to treat "American Disease"?

  Internally, the Trump administration responded strongly to anti-racism protests and scorned science on the epidemic; externally, it refused to assume the responsibility of a major power, repeatedly "snatching the pot", and even directed the spearhead at the global anti-epidemic center to command WHO.

  Trump stated that it was the WHO's "error that caused so many deaths."

Accountability, demand for reforms, threats to "cut confessions", and finally, without mentioning the huge amount of dues in arrears by the United States, he decided to "withdraw".

  McGurk, a researcher at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University, pointed out that the suspension of payment of WHO dues is actually a manifestation of the weakness and panic of those in power in the United States, and the inability to fight the epidemic to find a scapegoat.

  In the past year, the Trump administration has continued the unilateralist concept of "America First" in its foreign policy.

Withdrawal, sanctions, withdrawal... are still the main labels of its foreign policy.

  In 2020 alone, the United States has withdrawn from important international organizations and treaties such as the Paris Agreement and the Open Skies Treaty; it has accelerated the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and Somalia, and continued to pressure its allies on the issue of military spending; it has put pressure on Iran, Russia, etc. , Then continue to sacrifice the big stick of sanctions.

  The United States' diplomatic philosophy has always been "swinging back" between the so-called liberalism, internationalism, unilateralism and isolationism, and this year is no exception.

Sun Chenghao, an assistant researcher at the American Institute of the China Institute of Modern International Relations, told Chinanews.com.

Liu Weidong also believes that Trump pays more attention to immediate interests and the unilateral interests of the United States, so he will make such a choice.

  However, as the four-year general election approaches the end of the dust and the Democrats visit the White House, the United States may return to multilateralism.

Biden plans to return to the "Paris Agreement" and other multilateral agreements and international organizations, strengthen cooperation between alliances, emphasize soft power and smart power, and strive to make the United States "re-emerge as a world leader," the two experts analyzed.

  In 2021, can the United States be "cured" as Biden hopes?

May wish to listen to the advice of the French newspaper Le Figaro: The most urgent task is to "make the United States of America again."

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