Yusuf Omar – Opinion | 10 November 2016

If you happen to be one of those people who, for some unknown reason, find it extremely difficult to earn a little kid’s approval then I got an interesting life hack for you.

Do you know what I am talking about? While the child or baby takes a liking to everyone else, they just not inclined to you. They’ll smile and laugh with the whole world but look at you as if you just landed from Mars.

I want you to try this…

Take that kid out in the garden one day, a garden that has a pet dog. Tell the child “Doggy is coming to bite you” and put on a shocked face as if the dog telepathically told you that he has an appetite for children. Even if the dog is minding his own business and carrying on his life sniffing rocks, just do the above. You will notice that by repeatedly telling the child that the dog is coming to bite, the child will look at the dog then look at you then look at the dog again and start fearing. The facial expression of the child will change and slowly but surely, that child who once seen you as a weird stranger will now see the need to get close to you. Once the child shows fear, all you have to do is walk towards the child, spread your arms out and say ‘Come here quickly before doggy comes” and within no time that child will be holding onto you for its dear life. Mission accomplished.

You can even try this. When alone with the child in a room, dim the lights and say “Oupa is coming”. That child will rush into your arms.

Why would the above work? Because fear naturally causes man to run towards safety.

This, my dear friends, is a strategy that Donald Trump initiated, executed and mastered. I mean, I couldn’t understand how he managed to garner so much votes. Yes, he won by a majority of Electoral votes not a majority of the public. If that election was controlled by the South African system, Hillary would be president. She actually got 47.7% of the votes compared to Trump’s 47. 3% of the votes with a few others going to smaller parties but still, how did Trump earn so many votes despite the garbage that came out of his mouth?

Whenever he spoke of Muslims, Blacks, Mexicans or foreigners in general, he instilled a sense of fear in the people just like how you would instil a sense of fear into a child. I’m not sure if it unknowingly happened or if it was a marketing strategy but whatever it was, in terms of the campaign, it was brilliant.

People always had their reservations for different religions, races and nationalities but when Trump started campaigning he went full force into it. He spoke about Muslims as if every man named Muhammad is a threat. When he said he wants to build a wall on the border of Mexico, he made it sound as if every Mexican is a member of a drug cartel. He succeeded in planting a seed of fear in the hearts of many white Americans and with time those seeds grew until the public had no option but to run into his arms. The reality is, those seeds had no meaning behind it.

The stats will strengthen my point. By planting seeds of fear, this is what Trump, a Republican, achieved…

According to surveys conducted in the months leading to the election, about 58% of Trump supporters said that they have a very unfavourable view of Islam compare to 24% of Clinton supporters. 76% of Republicans (Trump’s army) support the view of Muslims being banned from the US while 6% strongly oppose that view. Amongst the Democrats, 26% support it while 44% strongly oppose it.

Trump and his man spoke a lot about terrorism and how it will destroy the American dream. They made it sound as if terrorism is a foreign act that can only be carried out by a Muslim. They made it sound as if a white man cannot be a terrorist just like how he cannot lick his elbow. Expectedly, 65% of his supporters regarded it as a very big problem. This, of course, means that 65% of his supporters regarded Muslims as a very big problem.

When Trump said that Mexicans are rapists, 70% of Republicans said that he was ‘basically right’. When he made it public that he wishes to build a wall on the border, that 70% rushed to his side believing that he is the saviour.

The point is, Trump played the ‘Trump card’.

Trump used a magical marketing strategy. While Clinton used ‘Hope’, he used ‘Fear’. (Tweet this)

This has to be the reason. With fear, what many regarded as impossible became possible. I can’t think of another reason. Well, some say the elections are fixed and I see that as a possibility as well.

Interestingly enough, in his victory speech, Trump really calmed down. He seemed rather reasonable compare to his normal self. Was it shock or was it ‘mission accomplished so no need to instil fear in the hearts anymore’? I suppose only time will tell. Time will tell if living conditions for Muslims get worst. Time will tell if “The Great Wall of Trump’ is really going to happen. Time will tell if President Trump is a President for every US citizen. I know one thing thought, he is not my president. What if he was? Wait, I think I wrote about that. Click here to read about Trump sitting in Jacob Zuma’s seat.

What’s on your mind? How do you think Trump managed to get more than 47% of the votes? Leave a comment or drop me a tweet.

@YusufOmar_