My problems with her go far beyond an email scandal or some impetuous comments scattered between lies.
Hillary Clinton is the absolute embodiment of the crooked establishment this nation has become.
She will likely never face legal recourse for any of her actions. (Neither will Wall Street executives but that's another bitter story.)
Hillary could practically commit murder and talk her way out of charges.
She is a brilliant and cunning woman.
Despite all of her flaws, which are plentiful, I will be proud to check the box next to her name on November 8th.
I am from the exact group of individuals her campaign has been targeting since the convention: lost. For months, I stood proudly at the base of Bernie Sander's campaign. I phone banked, canvased, donated, and spread the gospel around the best I could. However, he came up short of the nomination which left me in a very precarious situation.I thought that Bernie endorsing Hillary was him selling out. That it was him suppressing the political revolution that I felt (and feel) incredibly proud to be a member of. For months, Bernie supporters ragged on 'Crooked-Hillary.' How was I supposed to fall in line behind her? The fact that Bernie chose to endorse Hillary Clinton over Jill Stein left me baffled. Jill and Bernie share much more political ideology than he and Clinton.
Naturally, I refused to accept his endorsement. Immediately, I latched myself to the Stein-Baraka ticket.
Oh god, that was a tragic mistake.
Listen, the Green Party is RAD as hell. The majority of my ideology is right on par with theirs. However, Jill, dude, stop getting arrested. Please? I wanted to want to vote for her so badly. I didn't care that my vote would easily fade into oblivion. The point was to vote my conscious. The point still is.
I cannot proudly cast a ballot for a candidate that might be back in jail next week.
I am all for radical activism.
I understand that progress doesn't always come from playing within legal guidelines.
The thing is, she is a presidential candidate.
She should use that position to rally behind causes and protesters so that if she were in a position of power she could actually help them.
Jill Stein is a joke.
I clenched my teeth and prepared to vote for Gary Johnson, the Libertarian candidate.
I am not a Libertarian.
I don't agree with the majority of Libertarian ideals.
But I liked Gary Johnson.
I convinced myself that voting for him because of his character was something I could be proud of. Hell, Johnson is the only candidate to have held an executive position. (The fact that he was a much more viable candidate than Stein was also an attractive quality.)
Suddenly, Johnson began to appear in the mainstream media.
The phrase "any press is good press" DEFINITELY doesn't include what Johnson has been experiencing.
I brushed off his ignorance regarding Aleppo.
I tried to make excuses for his inability to discuss world leaders.
The thing is, there is no excuse.
I'm nearly 40 years his minor and far more cognisant of international affairs.
Electing a man whose policies I don't support and who behaves as if governing a nation were a simple day job is not what I want my first ballot to represent.
Each candidate has a plethora of faults.
Hillary Clinton is in no way deserving of the highest office this nation can offer.
Jill Stein is in no way deserving of the highest office this nation can offer.
Gary Johnson is in no way deserving of the highest office this nation can offer.
Donald Trump is in no way deserving of any office this nation bears.
The thing is, I am genuinely terrified of a Donald Trump presidency.
He validates the bigotry that has been lurking in the shadows.
He proclaims racist remarks with no consequence.
He steps on the rights and dignity of minority groups.
He likes Mike fucking Pence.
(Mike Pence is perhaps the most dangerous politician for LGBT+ individuals. He is just an authentically disgusting human being//vampire man.)
I would not be safe under a Donald Trump presidency.
Odds are, someone that you know and love wouldn't be safe either.
I won't vote for Hillary out of fear.
However, it is my civic duty to vote.
This election is not a joke.
If I were to skip voting in the presidential race, I would be culpable for whatever outcome the race held.
No matter how this race is decided, it has highlighted the divide in values that this nation holds. That is something that won't heal quickly.
I will vote for Hillary Clinton because her presidency will mean 4 years of safety.
I will vote for Hillary Clinton because she understands government.
I will vote for her because she is capable of leading.
I will vote for her because I understand that the next president will get to shape the players in the Supreme Court.
I will vote for her because I know that the international community has it's eyes on this election and our enemies pray for a Trump presidency.
I will vote for her because I can't vote for Justin Trudeau.
I will vote for her because while she is an unpleasant human being, she is an excellent politician.
I will vote for her because a vote doesn't mean that I want to be her friend. A vote doesn't mean that she is my definition of perfection. A vote doesn't solidify that I agree with her past or future decisions. A vote does mean that I think she can do this job better than any other candidate.
Right now, Hillary Clinton is the best option for America.
Voting for her is a vote for my conscious. (Even if doing to sort of makes me want to vomit.)
The excellent news comes with the realization that the president's power is super finite and that there are a bunch of other really cool offices up for election.
For example, in Missouri, we have the EXTRAORDINARY ability to cast a ballot for Jason Kander for US Senate. (Something I strongly urge all of you to do.)
Voting 3rd party is absolutely not a waste if there is a candidate that you genuinely support. If you genuinely support Jill Stein, vote for her.
Voting 3rd party is the best way to disrupt the broken 2 party system that is running ramped with corruption. That said, this year is not the year for a protest vote.
I really wish that there was a candidate better for our nation than Hillary Clinton.
There's not, yet.
Who the hell knows where we'll be in 2020? I just want to get there.
(Register to vote HERE, the deadline is quickly approaching!)
