I want to vote for Kamala Harris. I believe she will not implement structural changes that will negatively affect large portions of US citizens, like a sweeping reduction of human rights. However there is this glaring reality that this country is still funding a genocide affecting thousands of Palestinians. What I and so many people have been seeing is the campaign against project 2025, but where is the stance on what will happen to Palestine once Harris is elected?
An aggressive message relying on not Trump has been in the forefront of many a campaign strategy for the Harris campaign. While this is a strong stance in defiance of a person and party in disarray, there are still glaring injustices that are not being addressed. It is such a hard thing to reconcile because while obviously lots of people don’t want Trump to become president, there is still a glaring reality that Palestine is being bombarded by bombs and hatred supported by the US war machine. It is impossible and shameful to not question what this new administration will do in this incredibly difficult situation. A lot of the country is protesting for a ceasefire and with the impending change up of leadership many questions are still unanswered.
We are living in a country where people are struggling to make ends meet, but there are millions of dollars being ported to fund a war a majority of the country is against.
I wrote the above back in August amidst the excitement and fanfare at the newly supported nominee and the sigh of relief at a candidate that showed a sweeping improvement in morale from the cynicism of Biden’s reelection. I never finished the post because I felt bad being a “wet blanket” and didn’t want to be another confused voice in the mix of others who all have incredibly valid reasons for being wary of Harris but don’t have an alternative other than voting third party or not voting at all. For some reason I felt my words would get swept up into this demographic and that scared me more than anything into silence, which is ridiculous. I am by no means condemning or shaming people for choosing not to participate in an election where they don’t see an outcome that supports their beliefs and refuse to be forced to vote for a lesser evil because of peer pressure. However, I also understand how people feel about this election, how I feel about this election and don’t want democracy to wholly fall at the hands of a single-minded narcissist. I understand that it’s hard to fathom how anyone could not feel inclined to just vote for Harris to keep Trump out, but I also understand how it can feel extremely frustrating and heartbreaking to see the Democratic party watch an entire population be decimated and continue funding an ongoing genocide with little concrete evidence there will ever be a ceasefire or stricter conditions around funding these wars. I can understand how people have seen Democrats get elected year after year but not see any tangible change to the fabric of their lives. Disappointment after disappointment with promises being made in desperation or without substance. I can’t argue with people who feel the party has failed them and they make a personal decision to vote how they do, but I can disagree. I can voice my concern that while the party is far from perfect, flawed certainly, it is still functioning on a level of decency that feels like it can be reasoned with. There still feels like a sliver of hope that the party’s policies can be moved further left, because there are people who seem to have level heads, open minds, and a genuine want for a better more inclusive society. Only one party is trying to use laws to deny reality and acknowledge the lives of other humans. Only one party is trying to strip away the rights of child bearing people. Only one party is trying to move the country towards something unrecognizable and deplorable. That is why I will be voting for Kamala Harris in November, but I am not as hopeful and excited as I was before about doing so. While I think it’s important to keep Trump as far away from nuclear codes and our democracy, it is beyond troubling to see the continued escalation in the Middle East knowing neither party would be immediately helpful to the situation.
What do I want? I want there to be a permanent ceasefire. I want there to be a way for Israel and Palestine to exist in peace with some acknowledgement of the cyclical deathly disputes, mistreatment, and inequality of the past 70+ years. I want there to be more strict policies and discussions around how the US funds, supports, and handles international contention. I want there to be strong, incontestable domestic policy written into law that protects all children, child bearing people, and people who live with disabilities. I want there to be a real, considerable conversation about reparations. I want an apology and acknowledgement of slavery. I want people to make a living wage and not have to work 2-3 jobs just to survive. I want people to be able to enjoy time with their families without fearing job security. I want artists to be protected from the prying eyes of AI. I want a lot of things, but I know I’m not going to get every single one of them with one presidential election and I know it’ll take more work than just yammering on in my blog, but it’s just the beginning to get it all out there.
Anyway, I’ll be voting for Kamala Harris this November. I’ll just not be as excited as I initially was and will do what I can to keep pushing that party left.
Very curious how other people are feeling, if anyone would like to comment! 🖤