Following the recent debates on the American presidency, I wondered what the American political debates were all about. Instead of hearing how and in what way the candidates planned to steer the US in the near future, all that came across was hatred barbs not only against one another, but against minorities, and a particular faith.

The ugliest of the ugly were thrown not only for Americans themselves but unfortunately for all the world to see, hear and follow in disbelief.

I used to ask myself as I followed the debates even at 3am: “Is this the real America and Americans that I have known and still know?” The answer is definitely no. All my mother’s family emigrated to the US after World War I, which including both my wife’s family and my own, number at least 500 relatives. I have visited many times and know them as good, honest and very helpful people.

So with disbelief I followed all the hate rhetoric on TV that was dished out during the presidential debates. Hatred which will be very hard to undo in the coming years. I do not see this as the basis for American politics. Many countries and peoples around the world hold the US as the shining light of freedom and democracy in the free world. This belief vanished in that short period of time for many people.

While I, as an observer condemn the hateful spiteful elements of the US presidential debates, I do see a similarity with the local political situation. Politicians are speaking in a most hateful and disrespectful way, and their followers are copying this rhetoric in both their spoken words and certainly much more in written articles and the digital world.

I give fault also to editors, who are supposed to censure the comments on their digital newspapers, but allow really bad, hateful and racist comments to be published.

I believe in the political world. If it weren’t for several of our able politicians, our islands would have remained backwards as we were under colonial masters. Masters who only thought and planned for their necessities and left the locals to fend on their own.

If locals had food to eat, then fair enough, if they did not they had to stay hungry. Then another authority which in actual fact ruled the Maltese population would come out with the words and blessings: “God will provide – God will help you.”

Still the hunger and lack of civil rights were sidelined for the better good of whom? Definitely not the locals, but for those of the upper class and others in authority. It was others who decided for us who to invite over to Malta, even without informing our local authorities, as happened when Nato set up a headquarters on our islands without our government even knowing what was happening.

Should we let our darker side take over to further our ambitions in order to acquire power?

It was also a slap in the face when Nato not only refused our government’s proposal to join it but later even declined a request to accept a proposal to allow our country as an observer. This was insult added to injury.

These refusals were demeaning as they happened after our islands became independent. Later the country dismissed Nato and all foreign occupying forces and succeeded in managing to elevate everyone’s standard of living. We can now say that we enjoy one of the best (if not the best) standard of living.

We have free university education, free health care, a vast programme of social services, the highest number of privately owned houses, and nobody believes me when I attend conferences abroad and say that we have also introduced a free childcare system for all.

So, if we have it so good now, why are all these hate articles and verbal hate being allowed? Why are honourable (?) members of Parliament, without mentioning names, being so disrespectful? Several of them are supposed to hold professional laurels so they should know better.

Still they prefer to use disrespectful language maybe in the hope that they will strengthen their electoral base. How mistaken they are.

We have a very democratic system with elections every five years. We also have a most democratic and peaceful system of “governmental handover” when power changes hands.

I am now observing, especially as a former member of parliament, a situation similar to a married couple. I see the political parties as the parents, husband and wife, and we the citizens as their children.

Now just imagine, one of the parents (or both) start nagging and continue to nag all through their married life, criticising the other on a daily basis. This nagging keeps going on for years.

It does not only affect the parents making their life horrible but would also affect much more the children. The parents’ attitude would carry on in their children throughout their lives. If these useless and hateful elements are then pushed forward and further incitements are supported by local newspapers then the situation will become critical.

All this for what? For one side to out the other? This is how I see Parliament at present and add that these negative elements are coming from the Opposition side.

I believe that people are intelligent and have the ability to decide for themselves. Wars have been and are still going on in the world because someone decides that he wants power. To acquire this power one is ready to go to any length, even using violence. Those who suffer the most are the normal people.

Just observe what is happening in our world, in the wars around us. They are intended only to fulfil the ambitions of a few people wanting to take power from others. Then we have despotic regimes who will keep on fighting, not for the people, but for themselves, to hold on to their power. There are millions of refugees around the world because of these dictators.

Now being the Christmas season, I ask which example people tend to follow, the hateful rhetoric or that of helping and offering our better side to the world and its people?

Should we as humans follow Ghandi’s and Mandela’s examples?  Or should we let our darker side take over to further our ambitions in order to acquire power?

Our islands had three aeroplanes at the start of World War II rightly named Faith, Hope and Charity. We should take these three elements as a symbol for the coming year.

Lino DeBono is a former Labour MP.