TorontoToday received the following letter to the editor from reader Darren Elliott on the rise of President Donald Trump and the threat of climate change.
I’m writing as someone who feels deeply disturbed and saddened, watching global events unfold with a sense of urgency and heartbreak. How do we even begin to forgive the role the United States is playing in hastening what feels like the end of the world — by electing someone whose leadership values selfishness, ignorance, and unchecked greed over survival and collective well-being?
And forgive me for asking, but how do you elect someone like Donald Trump? His presidency saw over 30,000 documented false claims, teaching millions of people to trust “alternative facts.” This isn’t political strategy — it’s mass manipulation.
Much of the blame lies in America’s far-right religious movement. One in four Americans attends far-right churches, which often promote false narratives that media, science, and the government are corrupt. They preach that Christianity is under attack, but it’s not. What’s under attack is the notion that any one group should dominate the moral and cultural landscape.
In Canada, we know firsthand how dangerous this thinking can be. Thousands of Indigenous children died in residential schools, many run by religious orders, because they were seen as “less than” for not being Christian. If that doesn’t show the danger of labelling others as evil, I don’t know what does.
But here we are. Trump’s leadership isn’t about service to others — it’s a demonstration of extreme narcissism, vindictiveness, and self-serving power grabs. He admired authoritarian leaders and dismissed protections for the working class, believing poverty is the result of laziness. The U.S. consumes more resources per capita than almost any other country (source: World Bank) and maintains an embarrassingly low minimum wage that traps many in poverty. And yet millions of people supported a man who wanted to widen these inequalities.
The alternative was a woman of colour — Kamala Harris — whose career has been about lifting marginalized communities. Her record isn’t perfect, and she’s shown flexibility on key issues like fracking, but isn’t that what we need? Leaders who can listen, change, and adapt for the greater good? Why wasn’t she the obvious choice for millions of people? Was it because she’s a woman? Because she’s multiracial?
With $500 billion being funnelled into artificial intelligence while climate change worsens, it feels like a death sentence to future generations. Let me be clear: AI could be a powerful tool if wielded responsibly — if investments in AI complemented strong investments in climate mitigation. But that’s not what’s happening. Instead, we’re watching a nation opt for short-term gain, sacrificing its long-term viability. It’s like watching someone burn down their own house with everyone inside it.
I can’t forgive a nation that seems determined to put profits and ignorance over the survival of our planet. I blame corrupt religious institutions for much of this. They gaslight their congregations into rejecting science and clinging to superstition. They have created a culture where people don’t ask questions and dismiss inconvenient truths. But mainstream media is not the enemy.
Journalists — like those at CBC — are professionals who work to inform and educate. There is a difference between facts and “alternative facts,” and it’s crucial that people understand that distinction.
So where do we go from here? I don’t have the answers. But I know this: Climate change doesn’t have time for division. We’re part of the same ecosystem, interconnected and interdependent. Diversity — whether in gender, sexuality, or thought — is a natural part of life, and we need to embrace it rather than fight it.
For now, I hold onto hope that the truth will eventually cut through the noise. Leaders like Kamala Harris and others who value inclusion and sustainability can guide us forward, but only if we collectively wake up, speak up, and support one another.
It’s not too late yet. But we’re running out of time.
Darren Elliott
Toronto, ON
