Ark of the Lost Angels

White House, Washington DC, April 2022 _{(Credit: Author)}

They always say this election is the most important one, but the statement rings true this year.

It has taken me a long time to cohesively understand my thoughts about this election. I don’t think I keep my own beliefs a secret, but at the end of the day I can only speak for myself. I have always tried to listen to evidence and facts, and adjust my viewpoint when my stated positions no longer align with who I am. In fact, I think that’s a trait we should all strive to possess and push our politicians to possess too.

The importance of voting cannot be overstated. The ability to participate in our democracy is a gift we take for granted too often. It’s a miraculous thing, for 248 years that we have chosen our leaders. Yes, it’s imperfect, yes the electoral college isn’t the fairest thing in the world, yes we have a long way to go, and yes we have never elected a perfect leader.

But that’s the thing. We are imperfect. That’s the wonderful part about the American experience is that the country will never be perfect. No country can ever be perfect. We just have to do the best we can, every day, so that we keep moving forward. To push for reaching worthy ideals that will remain out of reach. To create a society for our children better than the one our parents left for us.

I can think of no better set of ideas to strive for.

We have a system of government that allows us the freedom from oppression when we stand up and disagree with our leaders as loudly as we can. The freedom to choose who we want to lead us without reprisals if our horse loses the race. The freedom to periodically overthrow the government with a pen and a sheet of paper, not a spot of blood in sight. The freedom to express different beliefs from each other and debate those differences to build the best nation we can. But that society only comes when we debate in good faith, when we are willing to compromise on the way forward, and we recognize when a true threat is doing everything they can to tear this great nation apart at its seams.

And this brings us to the problem: Donald Trump.

Donald Trump holds no loyalty towards Americans. He only cares about supporting his own cause and his own power. He has openly demonized and expressed a plan to harm disadvantaged groups, he has shown a contempt for democracy itself and an affinity towards petty dictators and two-bit thugs.

Donald Trump paints America as some dystopian hellscape. A nation shattered by undesirables smashing against the gates, destroying us from within, and he alone can save us. He shows contempt for our armed forces. He insults anyone who disagrees with him. He claims American citizens are enemies from within and must be purged. He courts “Christians” who do not follow the word of Christ. He rallies support from people waving swastikas.

I was called an alarmist eight years ago when I listened to this man speak and felt an undeniable connection to the way Adolf Hitler conned his way into power in Germany. I read enough history books to spot the parallels when I saw them. Hitler thought Germany was in a catastrophic state, painted it as a hellish place which only he could fix. Donald Trump did the same thing with the United States.

I’m sorry, Donald, but I like candidates who believe in America.

I like candidates who dedicate their lives fighting for the average citizen while playing the delicate balancing act of American politics as best as they possibly can. I like candidates who show me plans when they talk about their ideas. Candidates who openly express the desire to invite everyone to the table and surround themselves with people who will do their best for every American.

That’s why I’m voting for Kamala Harris.

The majority of the people important to me in life are women, non-white, members of the LGBT community, immigrants, disabled, or they belong to many or all of these categories. I cannot, in good conscience, even consider supporting Donald Trump and still look my loved ones in the eye.

Protecting the rights of women’s health is important. Protecting the rights of the LGBT community is important. Protecting the rights of workers is important. Maintaining strong relationships with our allies is important. Building a fair immigration system that addresses very real concerns without cruelty is important.

The world is an incredibly volatile place on its best days. We need leaders who are strong, stable, and certain of a viable path to a better America. That isn’t to say Kamala Harris is perfect. That isn’t to say her presidency wouldn’t be difficult. That isn’t to say there aren’t plenty of valid causes to pressure her on because her current positions just aren’t cutting it.

I seldom hear policy proposals from Republicans these days. Nobody can detail why they think Donald Trump will build a better America, only why others will destroy it. I have not heard any hope or optimism or joy over America in what they say.

America doesn’t need to be made great again. It’s great as it is. Yet it can still be better. Personally, I want to vote for and support a leader who believes in that promise and is telling me that they’ll start working on building the bridge to that future, not punishing those who have slighted them.

To my friends thinking of voting third party, I implore you to think again. I hear your concerns, and understand they are incredibly real and valid. However, under our current system, a third party vote is throwing away any chance to make real change. Sometimes you have to play the game in order to make it fairer. Politicians are not meant to be perfectly aligned with what we believe; they are meant to be representative of the closest we can get. We have to play the hand we’re dealt right now, not the hand we wish we were dealt.

Personally, I just cannot live with constant anger and hatred and outrage. The world is too unjust to let it consume me, because I know it’ll do me no good. Passion and emotion are powerful when they complement logic, not supplant it. I understand being outraged by the unfair things happening across the world right now. I understand having a difficult time supporting Kamala Harris over some of these issues. However, supporting third parties like Jill Stein are support for Trump. Jill Stein is backed by Russian money and serves to further divide us. Any serious third party in America which wants to become a player would start on the local level and roll upwards. The third parties running for President don’t have any widespread support to show for it, and the only thing worse than their potential inability to get anything done is Donald Trump undoing everything which makes our nation great while he ironically claims to be doing so.

Change happens unfortunately slowly. Revolutions never work right away, and often don’t work at all. We want a perfect society, but that can’t happen overnight. So much is at stake during this election for Americans of all races, colors, and creeds. Our very democracy is at stake. Donald Trump does not believe in American democracy. He has a close relationship with Vladimir Putin, he openly praises dictators and monsters of the highest caliber, and he sent his supporters into the Capitol on January 6^th, 2021, to overthrow the democratic process through violence.

I have listened to both candidates speak. Since the moment President Joe Biden dropped out and endorsed Kamala Harris, I was certain that she would make a great president. I see a warmth, an idealism, and a genuine desire to do for the American people that seldom comes across in politics. I know it is popular to be totally cynical about politicians, but I don’t think it’s the best way to go about our lives. I don’t think it’s true. I don’t think anyone who doesn’t have the heart can connect with people on issues the way Kamala Harris has. I think Joe Biden has been the most impactful president of my lifetime so far, and I think he picked a Vice President who would carry on that good work. It’s why I’m proud to cast my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

Today is the day to make your voice heard, so get out and vote.