[FRIAM] Trump and Afrikaner Refugees

[steve smith]

Pieter wrote:

> I'm an Afrikaner living on a farm in South Africa. I recently came 
> across some of the claims circulating—especially from the Trump 
> camp—about how dire things supposedly are for white Afrikaner farmers 
> here.
> Just to set the record straight: I don't identify with that narrative. 
> Personally, I live very happily on the farm. I don’t farm — I'm here 
> for the lifestyle, not agriculture — and to me, it honestly feels like 
> paradise. I don’t feel threatened at all.
> Of course, not all white farmers in South Africa have the same 
> experience. Some do face real challenges, and discrimination does 
> exist. But the situation is complex, and like in every society, there 
> are both positives and negatives. No country is perfect.
> I just wanted to say: yes, I’m a white Afrikaner living on a farm in 
> South Africa—but I’m not one of those Trump talks about. For me, this 
> is the best place on earth.

Trump's behaviour was totally on-brand with his "negotiation" tactics:  
Bully mercilessly, then back off and pretend you are doing your 
victim/mark a favor?

I do believe someone (tucker carlson, elno, stephen miller, steve 
bannon, ???)  "got to him" to believe the specifics of this, but also 
that he was entirely primed and ready for it.  Remember his complaint in 
his first term about "all the S-hole countries" and "why don't we accept 
more immigrants from good countries like Norway"?  Hard to believe Musk 
doesn't know better... that the "evidence" Trump confronted Ramaphosa 
with was not just wrongheaded but also wrong?  But it all must support 
one of his agendas, maybe just keeping Trump worked up about things?

In the backdrop of the Gaza/Palestinian atrocities, this whole thing was 
an empty farce.  But half the US probably hung on his every word.

I appreciate your offering your own personal parallax on this...  I am 
glad your national representatives managed to avoid a total disaster...  
one can hope the spotlight moves on to some other unfortunately target 
for MAGA's "grievance politics"?
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