Basketball: René Rougeau was dismayed by the American victory

Wednesday morning confirmed that the winner of the US presidential election is the Republican candidate Donald Trump. Trump was first elected president in 2016 and now after one interim term again.

When a Californian René Rougeau woke up early Wednesday morning and turned on the TV, disbelief overcame him.

“I woke up at maybe 6:30 and watched the broadcast for a couple of hours in disbelief. I was shocked when I saw what was happening. It was pretty crazy to see how clear the situation seemed already at that point,” Rougeau, 38, says.

Rougeau was hopeful. He tried to go back to sleep, hoping to wake up to what he thought was better news, but to no avail. The game was clear.

“It seems that we are still not ready for the country to be led by a woman who is qualified and has done a good job as vice president. It’s kind of sad to see the times we live in. At the same time, this unfortunately shows what kind of country the United States has been for a long time.”

blush has spent a large part of his adult life abroad. His professional basketball career has taken him to Mexico, Israel, France and Finland.

Rougeau has played professionally in Europe since 2017. First he came to Finland for Kauhajoki, then played the 2019–21 seasons in France and returned to Finland, via Kauhajoki, to Helsinki.

He hails from the city of Sacramento, California and still maintains his home base in the California sun.

Rougeua is surprised that Trump was re-elected, even though his behavior and actions have been seen for one term in power already.

“It shows—pardon my language—how uncivilized many Americans are. Many have never even left the country. If they went elsewhere, they would get a better idea of ​​what the world thinks of America. People get and absorb a lot of wrong information,” says Rougeau.

The basketball player believes that most Americans want free health care and higher wages.

“So you would think they would vote for a person who is trying to push these things. But for some strange reason this guy [Trump] has impressed them.”

“It doesn’t matter what he has done and said. Blacks, whites, Latinos, and Muslims vote for him, even though he’s said ridiculous things about all of us. He also says absurd things about women. We are living in crazy times, and it drags the mind down”, says Rougeau.

According to Rougeau, the US mainstream media plays a big role in normalizing Trump, his words and actions.

“Even if there are more important things, Trump is being pulverized day after day. It’s complete horseshit, to be honest.”

Helsinki The Seagulls’ star player and four-time Finnish champion does not mince his words when talking about his country’s politics and the political game.

“It’s a joke. As a convicted felon, Trump shouldn’t even have been allowed to run for office. Those convicted of a serious crime may not vote, but may run for office. Absolutely ridiculous.”

Rougeau marvels at people who come from weaker states in the country, such as the Midwest or the South.

“Many people from these areas need help from the state more than, for example, in California. Still, they want a president who won’t do things for them. I call these cold-calculated votes.”

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“It shows – excuse my language – how uncivilized many Americans are.”

He regrets to see that the same thing has also spread to Europe and Finland on a smaller scale. In his opinion, many people vote against their own interests because a candidate knows how to appeal to them with his speeches.

“In many countries, many people vote regardless of economic policy to get rid of immigrants and people of color. Trump has empowered people all over the world.”

Still In Rougeau’s opinion, things are mostly better in Europe than in his home country. He considers it a valuable experience to have learned how people are taken care of in France and Finland.

He values ​​public health care and, especially in Finland, free higher education.

For example, during the corona pandemic, Rougeau rather stayed in France, where he was playing at the time, because “the situation in California was so chaotic”.

“Then you also saw how selfishly many Americans behaved. As if it wasn’t a global pandemic.”

Now Rougeau hopes that America and Americans will survive Trump’s new four-year term with dry feet.

“Unfortunately, the clown show continues.”