I haven't written anything in over a year. The state of the world being one of dystopian pandemic and political hellscape has done a number on my motivation to do things that I enjoy. And it should be said that I am not even close to the most impacted by this environment. For the most part, the issues being debated and stakes of the upcoming election have a much smaller effect on my daily life than many people. And I am still exhausted. I cannot begin to imagine or attempt to put into words what others are experiencing. And I also shouldn't; it is not my place to speak for what anyone else's experience in this world is. So while I cannot and will not do that, I want to attempt to put my own thoughts into words for you, as jumbled as they may be.
Four years ago, around this time, I wrote a post dissecting my approach to the 2016 election. Now, my approach back then was different for a number of reasons. 1) Living in a red state that many hypothesized could be swayed to a third party candidate allowed for a different perspective on voting power than my blue, federally unrepresented district vote now requires. 2) Though I was still largely left-leaning then, my political beliefs were much different at age 21 than they are now at 25. And 3) though at the time, I did see Trump as a threat to human rights, I now also see him as a threat to democracy and fair governing.
There is no way I could ever vote for Trump. In fact, a large part of my approach to the upcoming election was convincing myself that I could vote for Biden. It's important to note here that this comes with some privilege. For many people, voting for Biden (and having others also do so) is their only option to maintain important rights, including the basic right to life. But admittedly I do still struggle to look his history with hateful/racist policy and sexual violence. I hate that I have to vote for someone who I morally object to in order to prevent another four years of someone I find much worse and dangerous. But at the end of the day, I think that is what is required to save lives.
So I am going to start with a point many can agree with: the two-party system is flawed and needs to go. It leaves many voters with choices they are not happy with. I long for a system better than this. With that considered though, it is the game we are currently playing in and it has real life consequences. What I have to say next may come from a place of my own values and biases, but I hope what I have to say is helpful for people who are in the middle ground or undecided about what to do this year.
In my attempts to become Christlike and emulate the qualities of Christ that I value: charity, honesty, kindness, faith, diligence, knowledge, etc., I have discovered that these traits and principles have informed much of my own social and political perspectives. Christ sat with the most downtrodden members of society and cared for them and their needs fully. I fear that modern Christianity has twisted many of the teachings and stories of Christ to fit a narrative that is not true. Christ was a radical, a criminal, a refugee. He was so many things that would be rejected by modern society and often by communities and institutions that proclaim to be acting in His name. For me, emulating Christ in my own life looks like trying my best to care for those who society rejects no matter the consequences. I am definitely still working on that.
My approach to voting this election is not just about what is going to provide the best outcomes for myself, but for everyone. What we can all do is listen to people about their experience with structural disenfranchisement, believe them, and then make decisions based on what they have told us is going to be best for their communities. The revised version of the golden rule rings true in this instance. Do not treat others how you want to be treated, treat them how they want to be treated. People are constantly speaking on what they want and need to dismantle systemic oppression (racism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, ableism, misogyny, and more). It is our job to listen and act. By prioritizing the values and policies that people who are impacted most by the systems we have in place prioritize, we will establish a more egalitarian and humanistic society.
This also is reminiscent of the concept of universal design. When we create structures and systems making them equitable and accessible for the most marginalized groups, those structures and systems will function better for everyone. I think many US voters want to know who and what will benefit them the most on a personal level. I am far more interested in who and what will benefit us all.
It is important to note here that Trump struggles and hesitates to denounce white supremacy (source), calls on white supremacists to “stand by,” a call they have taken as a call to arms (source), reverses rulings that protect healthcare for the trans community (source) and disabled community (source), is running on a GOP platform to reverse the court case that federally legalized gay marriage (source, pg. 31-32), supports taking away rights to reproductive healthcare (source), attempts to strip and remove DACA protections (source), separates families leading to hundreds of missing children (source) and countless other things that will take away basic human rights for many people. We cannot claim to love and support marginalized groups while supporting their endangerment by the people we put in power.
But one of my big concerns with Trump overall is not just that he would be implementing policies that I don’t agree with (that would literally take away people rights and/or put them in physical danger), but that he would be doing so all while slipping into a more and more authoritarian rule. If for nothing else, a refusal to support Trump protects democracy. Advocating for postponing or cancelling elections, posting about the desire to serve more than two terms (even if joking), and refusing to commit to a peaceful transition of power are all things that we need to take incredibly seriously, even if you do not believe he is being serious. These things cannot be tolerable at any level or in any fashion and a vote for him is an endorsement of those claims. Allowing it now only makes him feel that it is more allowable for him in the future.
In much fewer words, I can move past my personal issues with Joe Biden because I also know that his presidency will be far safer for the American people, in policy and in commitment to democracy itself.
Now these words are for Trump supporters (if you even made it this far) and anyone else who needs to hear it. I do not trust anyone who votes for Trump in this upcoming election. It isn't even really about politics, but a clear difference in our moral outlooks on life. I do not trust you with my own identity and life; I do not trust you to be fully loving and welcoming to anyone else that may be a part of my life now or in the future. It is a matter of safety. And if I do not trust you, you can only imagine how far that distrust may go for people in more marginalized communities than my own. I am very privileged around you. I still do not trust you. If you do not understand or accept that, you are free to remove yourself.
This is a man and a platform that threatens human rights in a very real way. I understand that many voters have issues that are extremely important to them but the willingness to trample over marginalized groups in favor of those issues is indefensible. The stark individualism on which the US was built is suffocating us and causing many to forget what is most important. To bring it back to faith and spirituality, we have been commanded to love God and love our neighbors. I do not think it is possible to fully and truly love all your neighbors and vote to strip away their rights. So for me this is not about politics, but about moral responsibility. I desperately wish I could say that it’s just a difference in opinion, that I can be friends with someone no matter their political leanings, that I could feel safe no matter what. I wish it was that simple, but it just isn’t. My goal will always be to truly love my neighbors and my community. For me, it is inarguably clear that the way to do that this election is to make sure Trump is removed from office.
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