NEW DELHI: On the eve of the U.S. presidential election, The New Indian’s Executive Editor Rohan Dua took to Birmingham’s streets, where he met Jay Hawthorne, a retired firefighter with over 27 years of service. Jay, who’s seen significant changes in his lifetime, shared his strong views on the current state of American politics and the potential impact of the election results on the nation’s future.
In a candid interview, Jay voiced his concerns about economic issues under the Biden administration, citing inflation and rising mortgage rates as major struggles. “The last four years, inflation has crippled everybody,” Jay stated. “Mortgage rates have been terrible ever since the policies of Biden and Harris, and I hope and pray that Trump wins because if not, I fear for this country.” Reflecting on foreign policy, he remarked that during Trump’s term, there were fewer global conflicts, something he values greatly.
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Jay didn’t hesitate to criticize the press, arguing that the mainstream media, in his view, heavily favours Democrats. “I not only blame the media but also the Democrats,” Jay said, adding, “Kamala calls Trump supporters fascists, and Biden refers to them as garbage. When you have that kind of rhetoric against 50% of a country, we can’t have a country like that.”
The retired firefighter, whose career focused on public service, shared deeper concerns about societal division. “If Trump wins, I think we might see the kind of riots we saw in 2020. The Democratic Party encourages anarchy,” Jay stated. He also lamented what he sees as rising crime rates under Democratic policies, adding, “The last four years have seen a decline for this country while other nations, like China, continue advancing.”
Immigration was another major issue Jay touched on. He argued that under the current administration, immigration policies have been too lenient, allowing what he termed an “invasion” that strains resources. “Our veterans and homeless get nothing, but illegal immigrants receive everything,” he argued. In his view, this policy prioritizes non-citizens over Americans, a choice he finds troubling. “Those are votes that will be Democrat forever, and our country won’t be a country anymore if that’s allowed,” he added.
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In a lighter moment, Jay shared his love for retirement. “I enjoyed my work, but retirement’s a lot more fun,” he said, smiling. Jay and his wife were in Birmingham to shop, though he joked, “I’d better get to shopping and quit talking politics!”
Ending the conversation, Jay expressed his dismay at being labelled by identity politics, saying, “The media likes to brand people in groups… But I’m Caucasian, a Christian, and heterosexual—qualities that don’t fit their criteria.” As he emphasized the significance of his personal values, Jay concluded with a statement on identity, noting, “By the way, there are only two genders. I can’t identify as a bird just because I want to fly.”