There’s a lot of opinions out there right now and a lot of things have been said regarding the results of both the #RNC and #DNC. Our two primary political parties have chosen their candidates: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. The very mention of these two names excites emotions in people from both sides of the aisle. Republicans and Democrats alike are in a frenzy trying to garner support for their side, not because they all passionately endorse their party’s candidate, but because the opposing party’s choice evokes fear and loathing from somewhere deep within their hearts and souls. I rarely see die-hard Trump supporters, I see friends who loathe the dishonesty, corruption, untrustworthiness and political inconsistencies of Hillary Clinton. I rarely see sold-out Clinton supporters, I see friends who are fearful of the xenophobic, misogynistic, racist, self-absorbed Donald Trump.
Time and time again, election after election, we have been sold the belief that our duty as voting Americans is to elect the lesser of two evils for the office of the President of the United States. Some, who still believe in the political process, rush to support fringe candidates like Jill Stein or Gary Johnson, while others still cling desperately to the people’s champion, Bernie Sanders. #JillnotHill wants to keep the revolution going, #FeeltheJohnson (and no I did not make that hashtag up) scales mountains in both his personal and political life, and #BernieorBust begrudgingly bowed out to the beast amidst the boos of his broken-hearted #FeeltheBern campaign backers. (That alliteration though.)
These voters who invest time and hard work into researching fringe candidates worthy of their vote are ridiculed for not getting behind their party’s elected candidate. Bernie supporters booed and protested throughout the DNC and were scolded for not getting behind Hillary. It’s tough for me to imagine that a massive movement of voters who invested their time, energy and personal finances into an anti-establishment politician would so easily coo at the thought of endorsing a candidate who was chosen based on speculative evidence that corporate dollars and party loyalties still managed to rig the primary results in their favor. It’s also tough for me to imagine that had things gone in Bernie’s favor, the DNC would have unified behind the choice of the people so, Hillary supporters, keep your diminuitive, condescending taunts to yourself. Either way, the conversation has now become to vote for Clinton because… #neverTrump
On the other side of the aisle, many Republicans are now researching socially liberal and fiscally conservative Gary Johnson. This group receives a fair amount of ridicule as well, not because this new option is detestable, but because we must elect Trump at all costs given the fact that… #neverHillary
From the Republican perspective, the entire party must endorse Trump because we must defeat the powerful and poisonous Clinton political machine that so clearly has been able to assert it’s authority over the American people and has been deeply entrenched in political corruption. From the Democratic perspective, the entire party must endorse Hillary because we must defeat the obnoxious and narcissistic Trump train that so clearly spouts hate and division amidst vague and ambiguous empty promises.
The question I ask is this: are we smarter than this? Have we become so dull, disinterested and dumbed down that we cannot fathom uniting our voices in a demand for not only better candidates but a better system?
Do you want to know why Bernie Sanders was the first Presidential candidate since I became an eligible voter to genuinely appeal to me? The answer is simple: this system is not working; it is corrupt, it is broken, and it is outdated. Not only did Bernie know this and bring this to forefront of the discussion, but his campaign focused on answers that would lay the framework for the future. We live in an age of technology where anything is possible and no matter what your interests, hobbies or passion are, there’s an app for it. The only thing stopping our society from giving the power of self governance to the people is our own stupidity and ignorance. We still have representative government because the majority of us are too lazy, too dumb, too ignorant, too stubborn and too jaded to govern ourselves. Bernie’s proposed solutions to our society’s ails were: (1) to provide access to free education so that, regardless of income or social background, our country’s brightest minds would continue to become brighter; (2) to continue to fight for each and every last one of us to have healthcare that treats us like human beings instead of bank accounts.
Am I stupid for wanting the American people to be in a position where we are suited to, by and large, govern ourselves? Am I stupid for buying into the idea that we all deserve equal access to healthcare so that all of us can live our day-to-day lives in good health instead of being distracted by debilitating medical conditions and slaving away at minimum wage jobs to pay for exorbitant, costly healthcare bills? Am I stupid for buying into the idea that the best thing for our country is for all of our citizens to be educated instead of just those privileged enough to afford it or naive enough to take on massive amounts of debt for it? Am I stupid for believing that free education and free healthcare is the most effective way to fight both the war on poverty and the war on drugs?
If you are of the opinion that this is “just the way that it is” and that I ought to “get used to it,” I disagree.
If you are of the opinion that “nothing is going to change” and that we, as a whole, have to “work with the choices we’ve been given,” I disagree.
I heard you Ted Cruz, I will vote with my conscience. My conscience is telling me to vote for myself and for the American people. I do not endorse these candidates and, more importantly, I do not endorse our current political system.
Will we stand together? Will our voices be heard? Will enough of us stand by our belief that we as a nation deserve better?
The Original J-Mo 