Trumpinism cannot be the answer

Barack Obama issued his first statement post-presidency on Monday, expressing support with those protesting President Donald Trump’s immigration ban. “Citizens exercising their Constitutional right to assemble, organize and have their voices heard by their elected officials is exactly what we expect to see when American values are at stake,” the statement said. President Trump signed an executive order on January 27 banning immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days. It is extremely unprecedented for a former president to criticize policies of the new president in less than a month since stepping down.

The U.S. is in a political civil war state divided by pros and cons on executive orders. The White House and the Department of State are spearheading the rift. Immigrants and Silicon Valley companies as well as Wall Street financial firms including Goldman Sachs whose former executives became key people in the new administration are all against Trump's policies. President Trump fired acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates after she defied him on his controversial executive order on immigrants and refugees. Not moving an inch on Yate's criticism, Trump wrote on Twitter, "If the ban were announced with a one week notice, the 'bad' would rush into our country during that week."

Trump began setting up trade barriers as part of protectionism for his "America First" policy. While setting up a physical barrier on the Mexican border, he also set up a system barrier restricting free moves. Despite that Trump is breaking down the basic orders of a free world that the U.S. and Europe have built up since World War II, everyone is being dragged on by the president's force. A Quinnipiac University poll shows that 48 percent of Americans are supportive (42 percent in opposition) to Trump's populist policy, a finding which sends shock to the global society.

The power of an empire comes from generosity. The Roman empire declined as it lost generosity for colonies for the sake of Roman people, according to historians. The U.S. cannot be safer by setting up more and stronger barriers. Concerns are rising that Trump's anti-Muslim will invite another terrorist attack.

Trump's actions to close doors to foreigners, and restore black jails and tortures is reminiscent of the Nazi domination in the 1930s. Hitler's closed German First policy led to World War II. The date Hitler signed executive order became a memorial day for holocaust. Korea should also reflect on itself whether it is mired in another type of Trumpinism, which divides comrade and enemy.