Do they fear Corbyn so much that they must destroy him?

Double Vision with Charlie Adley

It’s difficult to think of two more different people than Donald Trump and Jeremy Corbyn, yet their success and probable downfall is the result of the same phenomenon: speaking for the disillusioned masses, who feel politicians in no way represent their views.

Both men embody the essence of their nation’s social culture. After making his outrageous fortune as an industrialist, Trump added fame to his quiver by fronting the US TV version of The Apprentice. He’s the archetype of the American Dream, proudly declaring he needs nuttin’ from nobody else.

It’s easy for Europeans to see America’s social culture as selfish and uncaring, but thanks to one of my best friends out there, I grew to better understand the American way. With the blond hair, cheekbones and body of a Norse god, Erik explained how he wanted to work his butt off. If he achieved his dream without help, why should he have to pay for an illegal Mexican immigrant to go see the doctor?

Although we see the term ‘Frontier Spirit’ as old-fashioned and anachronistic, it exists still at the core of every American. Whether Democrat or Republican, rich or poor, nobody will tolerate criticism of the American Way.

Trump embodies these ideals, while Jeremy Corbyn’s social policies incorporate the core values of our culture. If the USA has an individualist society where ‘I’ is king, Europeans prefer the word ‘We’.

We believe that happiness comes through living in a compassionate society; feeling, if not proud, then at least comfortable with the notion of being a human being.

Jeremy Corbyn believes that you cannot claim to have a civilised society until you prioritise health, housing and education for all.

The confounding world of politics has forced out of me many differing emotions over the years, but rarely has it made me feel sad. Yet ever since his Labour leadership victory, Corbyn has been the victim of such constant ridicule and assault, from so many different directions, I have had to dip my chin and sigh.

Not prone to believing in conspiracy theories, I’m scrupulous when I sniff one of my own, but a couple of days ago I heard a Guardian columnist on Newstalk comparing Jeremy Corbyn to Chauncey Gardiner, the naive simpleton superbly portrayed by Peter Sellers in the film Being There.

For me this was something of a last straw. Such a comparison is ignorant and inexcusable.

To read Charlie’s column in full, see this week’s Galway City Tribune.