America, The Beautiful…I Guess…
In August 2007, I entered the University of West Georgia as a political science major. It was incredibly brief, maybe like 2 weeks, then a very short stint as a business major, until I saw how much math I’d have to take, and settled in as an English major sometime that September. Even after the switch, I was fully immersed in the political climate as Obama’s rise coincided with my collegiate experience. There was a Cornel West reader that I rented from the library that I poured over endlessly. I read up on various movements, globally and domestically, and was ready to defend my causes with vigor.
17 years later, at 35, I’m more politically jaded than ever. I feel more cynical as each year passes and really am disgusted with both parties. It’s been a gradual erosion of faith in the American political machine.
One party has devolved into a moronic cult that has eschewed common sense, rejected obvious and latent facts, spewed flat-out debunked lies and options, for total fealty to a party leader who wouldn’t piss on them if they were on fire (there’s a joke in there). When a leader demands that level of loyalty and removes the ability to disagree, even on a basic level, you’re in a cult (also when Mike Pence isn’t conservative enough for Republicans, you know you’ve gone too far.) Why is this 78-year-old lunatic, who has never looked out for anyone but himself (in business or personal affairs) the only option over the past 8 years? What happens when he kicks the bucket?
The other is a clumsy and inept collective still pouting after Trump’s win 8 years ago and has done nothing to build up an actual face of the party. They tossed Kamala the nomination like a lateral on an interception and expected her to work miracles in 100 days. They knew Joe Biden was confused last year, why not start priming her or any other candidate then? Democrats had no plan post-Obama. Hilary seemed the natural next leader (and still probably the most qualified person resume-wise to run, again, not a huge fan, just looking at her resume) but she lost, and since then, they’ve mostly been moping, even with Biden in office. And yes, Trump has done the same since losing the election, but the Democrats pouting has been just as rampant, just not as deranged.
Fear-mongering, wild accusations, skewed facts, and a general polarization of opinion has robbed us of the ability to think with nuance. It is possible to be a rotten person and be a Democrat. It is possible to be a decent person and be a Republican. Voting for Kamala or Trump does not absolve you morally from any societal ills. It’s simply a vote for a candidate that you support. Any moral grandstanding you want to take is a personal crown you give yourself.
By nature of the job, whoever is President of the United States is going to carry out an incredibly wicked level of violence. Republican or Democrat, virtually every president in history has signed off on murders, bombings, torture, economic destabilization, you name it. Sadly, that’s what often happens when you are the leader of a superpower. If Kamala wins, she is gonna commit some evil atrocities. Same as Trump, same as whoever wins in 2028, 2032, 2036, 2040, 2044. Peel back the history of any President over the past 125 years, and you will see some of the worst acts carried out in recorded history. That’s just what the job calls for. If you’re a cashier at Wal-Mart, you’re gonna be scanning shit. It doesn’t matter where you are or what store you are at. If you are President of the United States, you will sign off on some bombing or international act of violence in order to defend the country and you will have blood on your hands. Not a personal attack, just common sense. Again, sadly, it’s what the job often calls for. So again, don’t think voting for one or the other will absolve you morally, as whoever wins will (more than likely) carry out some pretty cruelacts over their term.
I voted for Kamala simply because I think she is the better candidate. It is not an endorsement for the current Democratic party, which is rudderless and incompetent. While I will always lean liberal on social issues, there are some conservative ideas and initiatives that I think are worth exploring. Clearly, I say this not as a ringing endorsement of all their ideals, but I’m speaking from logic. No party in American history has ever completely been full of rotten ideas while the other operates flawlessly. That’s not an endorsement or a diss, it’s common fucking sense.
In the deep recesses of our hearts, our views on the world are messy, complicated, hypocritical, and layered. It is asinine to think one party speaks to your personal ethos completely and in total. They want us to parrot their hyperbole without thought. You’re better than that. You can have nuance as a voter. You don’t have to drown in the drumbeat of rhetoric. Have the courage to think for yourself. Give yourself more credit.
Only time will tell and maybe down the line, I’ll become more politically galvanized. But now I’m at my lowest point. Whatever happens, either way, stop texting me, I already voted.
