The Golden Rule: ‘ Do unto others as you’ll have them do unto you’
New Testomony, Matthew 7:12
The pictures of President Donald Trump’s acrimonious conferences with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa have gone viral. The media have termed these “White Home ambushes” orchestrated to intimidate the invited heads of state or authorities and reveal the dominance of the US of America.
Historically, bilateral conferences between heads of state and governments, whether or not state or official, are vital occasions ready for properly prematurely. Word {that a} state go to is on the invitation of the top of state and comes with all of the attendant pomp and ceremony. An official go to is much less formal being primarily a working go to to handle particular points. These visits are supposed to strengthen relations between nations and to resolve issues. Preparations are made prematurely involving the ambassadors, different senior officers, international ministers, and different ministers relying on the themes to be coated. A draft of the result doc could be ready prematurely as either side should agree on the textual content. These conferences are ruled by the principles of diplomacy and protocol. They’re usually civil affairs. Discord would hardly ever be proven in public pictures, as you will need to maintain the strains of communications open.
On the day of the assembly, the heads would greet one another, alternate pleasantries, and the media can be invited in for a short picture alternative. The heads could then give a abstract of the agenda and the goals to be achieved from their formal assembly. The media can be requested to withdraw after a couple of minutes. The delegations would then retire to the convention room for the formal assembly, in digicam, for the intense discussions. On the finish of the assembly, a joint press convention can be held to report on the assembly’s end result. The media would then be invited to pose a number of questions. It might be famous that the US media is steadily targeted on their very own home points.
Given the place of the USA on the earth, a go to to the White Home in Washington, DC, to fulfill with the president would often be extremely appreciated. For a lot of nations, these conferences don’t occur typically. For CARICOM leaders, there could be exchanges on the margins of the United Nations Common Meeting or on the Summit of the Americas. An invite to the White Home can be thought-about an vital alternative for bilateral discussions.
A go to by the US President to the Caribbean is much more distinctive. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan visited Jamaica and President Barack Obama in 2015.
In March 2019, a choose group of CARICOM leaders had been invited to fulfill with President Trump at his Mar-a-Largo Membership in Florida. Many would possibly bear in mind at the very least one picture of this go to.
Previously, a gathering of leaders on the White Home adopted the same old customs of protocol and diplomacy.
CHANGING RULES IN THIS WHITE HOUSE
Nowadays the therapy of presidency leaders visiting with President Donald Trump appears to not observe the customary guidelines of protocol and diplomacy. A change in strategy was already evident when former Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, met with President-elect Trump at Mar-a-Largo. It appeared that the Canadian Prime Minister was mocked being termed the ‘Governor” of Canada, the US’ 51st state’.
Since his January inauguration, different visiting leaders have executed the character evaluation and located that they wanted to interact in a technique of appeasement. They needed to come bearing presents and interesting in ego stroking. With tariffs and different threats, they sought to keep away from poking the crocodile.
The turning level got here within the conduct of the White Home assembly with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February. The Ukraine president unwittingly stepped on the entice that was set for him, because the media picture alternative was transformed into the assembly. The US delegation, led by President Trump, jettisoned protocol and diplomacy, looking for to reveal to President Zelenskyy and the world, the would possibly and energy of the USA in phrases, quantity and gestures.
It’s assessed that this was a staged media occasion and media representatives felt licensed to intervene. After his public excoriation, the Ukraine president was escorted from the White Home. This scene went viral and will definitely be entered into the annals of historical past.
This was not a one-off occasion. The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, walked into one other orchestrated entice in full view of the media. This time audiovisuals aids and different props had been employed as an instance claims of genocide in opposition to white Afrikaner farmers in South Africa and the confiscation of their land by the federal government. The US has granted refugee standing to white Afrikaners, who, it’s claimed, are fleeing persecution and dying. Respected media sources have debunked these claims.
Actually, the US State Division’s journey advisory for South Africa issued in November 2024, speaks to the nation’s very excessive crime fee, particularly within the closely populated city areas. It makes no reference to particular crimes in opposition to white South Africans. The US CIA report acknowledges the imbalances in South Africa that are a legacy of apartheid.
Accessible data reveals that the white inhabitants in South Africa is 7.3 per cent of the inhabitants of about 63.2 million. They personal over 70 per cent of agricultural land, maintain many of the prime managerial positions within the personal sector, and earn thrice the wage of common South Africans. In 1994, when apartheid ended, white South Africans had been about 5.2 million. In 2023, they numbered about 4.5 million. Many South Africans, of all ethnicities, have voluntarily migrated since 1994 going primarily to Britain, Australia, and the USA. These figures converse for themselves.
Ought to leaders proceed visiting the White Home?
So, now leaders visiting the White Home, if not amongst these held in excessive esteem by President Trump and his workforce, and never bearing a profitable tribute, can anticipate a major a part of their assembly to be held within the presence of the media, with their lively participation, probably with audio-visuals, and to be bombarded with false accusations with little alternative to reply. This being the truth tv present produced, directed and starring President Donald Trump.
If that is the brand new method of conducting conferences within the White Home, then as many are asking, why ought to leaders of nations, particularly these of the World South, settle for any invitation to go to? Why ought to they expose themselves to worldwide humiliation? Leaders ought to consider carefully about this and assess what’s to be gained. It appears, in accordance with experiences, that the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, to this point, is one chief who has declined an invite to the White Home.
But, President Trump, as chief of the USA, expects that when he visits nations, the pink or purple carpet will likely be rolled out and he will likely be handled with nice respect.
The Golden Rule
Many in President Trump’s Republican Occasion and his administration are dedicated Christians, we’re informed. The Vice President, J.D. Vance, and the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, are practising Catholics honoured to fulfill Pope Leo XIV. Christianity isn’t just about opposing something woke, neither is it about revenge and retribution. It’s about constructing constructive human relationships by prepared the nice of others. It’s about constructing bridges.
There’s a golden rule within the Bible’s New Testomony that every one must recall and truly practise, regardless of how rich and highly effective they’re. It’s: ‘ Do unto others as you’ll have them do unto you’.
Elizabeth Morgan is a specialist in worldwide commerce coverage and worldwide politics. Ship suggestions to columns@gleanerjm.com.
