The parallels between Myanmar and America are striking, especially for me. At one level, the history of both countries is remarkably similar. Both countries were colonies of the British and wanted independence. America won its independence due, in large part, to the French and the leadership of General Layfette. General Aung San, who was the leader of the military in Myanmar, which was called Burma at that time, told the British they would fight for independence. Since the British were exhausted at the end of WWII, they yielded to the demands and gave independence to Burma in 1948.

General Lafayette                       General Aung San

Another fascinating parallel between the two countries is that Myanmar’s election in 2020 was a landslide for Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, National League for Democracy (NLD). She was the daughter of General Aung San. Myanmar has had a long history during the last seven decades of falling under the control of the military. However, in 2015 and again in 2020, the NLD won a large majority of the parliamentary election.

A sea of supporters

The military control of Myanmar started to slip out of the hands of the generals beginning with the election in 2015 and again in 2020. Even though the military had a lock on twenty-five seats in the parliament, Aung San Suu Kyi was too much for them. The generals accused her of fraud and stealing the election.

So, on February 1, 2021, they had a coup d'état in Myanmar, which the generals led. The junta arrested Aung San Suu Kyi again, and she is still in prison. Essentially, Myanmar is in the midst of a civil war. On the one side is the military. On the other side are the people of Myanmar, which includes a dozen or more ethnic minorities groups who have had a guerrilla war against the military for decades.

However, a parallel between Myanmar and the States, which isn’t good, is that a month before the military coup in Myanmar, Donald the Dumb attempted one in America on January 5, 2021. The name Donald the Dumb is apropos. He made some blunders, which didn’t help his failed attempt. However, Trump is a loser who won’t go quietly into the night.

Yo, Donald. Exit left.

Trump is attempting a guerilla war against those who don’t kowtow to him. He threatened Georgia’s Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, Attorney General Letitia James, and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. “These prosecutors are vicious, horrible people. They’re racists and they’re very sick—they’re mentally sick. They’re going after me without any protection of my rights from the Supreme Court or most other courts.”

Around a third of America follow in the footsteps of our portly past president. They either want to destroy our democratic experiment called America or merely believe Fox News.

I have three adult children and a granddaughter in America. I don’t want to live their lives in the aftermath of Donald the Dumb and his minions. I also have two adult children and three granddaughters in Myanmar. They are living in a country that is facing a civil war. If they win our State Department’s Diversity Visa lottery, they will have green cards to come to America.

In the meantime, Trump and his white supremacists are beginning their guerrilla insurrection. White supremacists areS so concerned that they can’t compete on a level playing field with anyone who isn’t white. Therefore, they have to put down those who can best them in life. It is pathetic. Fortunately, the worm has turned on Trump and his followers.

The January 6^th committee will soon air what they have discovered about the insurrection. Various attorneys general have or are working on charges. It won’t be long before King Donald realizes that he faces multiple prosecutions, some of which would result in him going to jail.

I wonder what Trump thinks at night when people aren’t there to praise him. He lost the election and will lose to the January 6^th committee and state and federal prosecutors. Surely, he has thought if you live by the sword, you will die by the sword. He will not go gentle into the night, which means he will lose again.

Or maybe someone read to Trump before going to bed what disgraced Japanese leaders did in their attempts to restore their dignity and honor to themselves and their families. He is between an extremely large rock and equally an extremely large hard place. Either of Trump’s choices will be a losing choice.

This climber has a better chance of getting out of his situation than Trump.