#TRENDING: Canadian campaign gives US neighbours "virtual hugs"

Alec Baldwin portrays Donald Trump on SNL Live. Source: YouTube

If you’ve been following the car crash reality show that is the Trump campaign, you will know his slogan is ‘Make America Great Again’, accompanied by divisive, racist, misogynistic rhetoric and a litany of ‘trumped-up’ untruths. The play on this with the hashtag #tellamericaitsgreat generated the meme that American Twitter described as a “warm hug”.

According to the Huffington Post, the tweet campaign started by Canadian creative agency The Garden was just the “election therapy” that US citizens needed: “The United States’ good ol’ neighbour to the North is providing the land of the free with much-needed virtual hugs this election season.”

On The Garden campaign page tellamericaitsgreat.com, a video is displayed and it also invites video submissions on the topic @staygr8America. It states: “Seems America could use some cheering up right about now. As their closest friends and neighbours, we thought we should take a minute to help remind them that no matter how bad things might seem at the moment, there are lots of reasons why we think they’re still pretty great.”

I wonder which democratic or election thinktank is behind the campaign – the US Democratic Party? Whoever it is, it’s a brilliant stunt.

Anyway, Canadians across the internet have joined in, with Americans responding to their kindness and it’s gone viral in an epic way. My favourite tweet, from @TurbulentOlivia: “Dear neighbours, just wanna #TellAmericaItsGreat, regardless of what some leathery orange stooge with a Pomeranian on his head says.” A response from @AprilDelRario: “Canada is that best friend who comes over on the worst day of your life to remind you why life’s still worth living. #TellAmericaItsGreat.”

Dear neighbours, just wanna #TellAmericaItsGreat, regardless of what some leathery orange stooge with a Pomeranian on his head says.

— Olivia White (@TurbulentOlivia) October 15, 2016

the democracy, the ideals. The arts and the People.
America will always be great.
#TellAmericaItsGreat

— Joven Guinte (@HoooVen18) October 19, 2016

Seattle,Grand Canyon,Oregon,Star Wars,Star Trek,Google,Apple   #tellamericaitsgreat ❤️��������❤️

— Ian Kendrick (@imajk64) October 19, 2016

I went to grad school there because it was the best training/education I could possibly get in my field. Love Lizzie #TellAmericaItsGreat

— Lizzie Reads Feeds (@oboelizzie) October 19, 2016

Beer at the grocery store! #TellAmericaItsGreat

— Election Gal (@ElectionGal) October 19, 2016

Thank you @GeorgeTakei you are truly great! https://t.co/kUh2KlT3Dp

— tellamericaitsgreat (@staygr8america) October 19, 2016

#Canada, you made me cry today. Who even thinks of such a thing? Canadians! Can't wait to visit! #TellAmericaItsGreat #TellCanadaThanks.

— Kim Hunt Harris (@KimHuntHarris) October 18, 2016

Canada is officially invited to my next birthday party (as long as they bring along Trudeau).  #Tellamericaitsgreat https://t.co/S4hFwCb9DP

— Eileen Dreyer (@eileendreyer) October 19, 2016

Thank goodness the obscene side show that is Trump in the American Presidential election is almost over, with the last candidate debate this week, and the election on November 8. I’m looking forward to all the social media and news feeds going back to normal.

Let’s hope Americans deal a crushing blow to Trump’s egomania and send him back to his personal twilight zone, because we all know this election is a test of the collective IQ of the United States of America.

The venerable New York Times weighed in on Trump’s lack of character this week with an opinion piece entitled ‘Donald Trump, the Worst of America’, and had this to say: “It’s as if the man is on a mission to demonstrate to voters the staggering magnitude of his social vulgarity and emotional ineptitude. He has dispensed with all semblances of wanting to appear presidential and embraced what seems to be most natural to him: acting like a pig... He is a ball of contradictions that together form a bully, a man who has built a menacing wall around the hollow of his self. He is brash to mask his fragility…” and, more to the point, “These are the ravings of a lunatic.”

But to prep for the next debate – please watch SNL’s hilarious outtake on the last debate. Who knew Alec Baldwin (as Trump) had such a sense of humour?! Trump doesn’t of course, tweeting that SNL should be taken off the air because it was old and stale and "stinks".

Of course, if you already have your sick bag out or just don’t care about the US Presidential election, the Washington Post posted the perfect antidote to all the election coverage in the US and globally: a Koala bear getting a belly rub.

Perhaps, in the context of our beleaguered nation - battered by political and economic uncertainty, State Capture allegations, #FeesMustFall violence, and a general malaise - can someone please start a #TellSouthAfricaItsGreat campaign already to remind us how wonderful our own rainbow nation is and give us hope too?