Our Mothers and Grandmothers

 

It's worth hearing the words of President Obama and Michelle Obama again this weekend. I found their speeches at the DNC this summer to be so inspiring! Here are a couple of quotes:

 

"And then, in his praise for his grandmother, “a little old white lady born in a tiny town called Peru, Kansas,” and his mother-in-law, Marion Robinson, a Black woman from the South Side of Chicago, he brought a new emphasis on ordinary Americans, especially women, who work hard, sacrifice for their children, and value honesty, integrity, kindness, helping others, and hard work.

They wanted their children to “do things and go places that they would’ve never imagined for themselves.” 

“Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican or somewhere in between,” he said, “we have all had people like that in our lives:... good hardworking people who weren’t famous or powerful but who managed in countless ways to leave this country just a little bit better than they found it.”

If President Obama emphasized tonight that the nation depends on the good will of ordinary people, it was his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, who spoke with the voice of those people and made it clear that only the American people can preserve democracy.

In a truly extraordinary speech, perfectly delivered, Mrs. Obama described her mother as someone who lived out the idea of hope for a better future, working for children and the community. “She was glad to do the thankless, unglamorous work that for generations has strengthened the fabric of this nation,” Mrs. Obama said, “the belief that if you do unto others, if you love thy neighbor, if you work and scrape and sacrifice, it will pay off. If not for you, then maybe for your children or your grandchildren.”

 

It's a good reminder of why we vote; we do not want the work of our mothers and grandmothers to be for naught. They sacrificed. they gave all they had to US--the future. I want to leave this world a better place for my children and grandchildren, but I cannot do it alone. I need you, all of you.

You're Not Just Voting for One

I hope, when you vote this year, you are very aware of the fact that you are not just voting for one. 

What do I mean? 

As an adult who has the essential job of being a voter, I ask you to please, please consider others when casting your ballot.

If you are a single-issue voter, please consider the other issues that will be impacted by who you vote for. As adults, living in a democracy, we have to do that! One issue may be really important to you, but as an adult, you have to think of others too. For instance, there are organized groups of Americans, especially in swing states like Michigan, who are saying they will not vote for Harris because of the U.S. handling of the war in Gaza. You may be one of these people. A vote for a third-party candidate, or a non-vote for Harris (you entirely skip voting for the office of president), could certainly tip the scales for Trump. I need to remind you that Trump has openly said he will reenact his Muslim Ban, which will impact far more people here, and abroad. That was one of his first acts in 2016 and it will be back again. He has also said he will deport protesters--that will include people in America who dare question his policies toward Israel (he loves Netanyahu) or any country in the Middle East (as far as we know, he doesn't care about any of them). As someone who lived through the first four years of Trump, I just want to remind you that he means what he says. So, to simply say you cannot vote for Harris "because of Gaza", you could be contributing to the election of a man who will hurt far more people, AND make the situation in Gaza so much worse. 

Perhaps you are not just a one-issue voter, but you want your presidential candidate to be "practically perfect in every way"--you want Harris to align with your views in EVERY. single. way. If she doesn't align perfectly with you, you say won't vote for her. You might vote for a third-party candidate, or a be a non-voter for Harris (you entirely skip voting for the office of president). This is so short-sighted and dangerous, and it is no better than being a one-issue candidate. If Harris has core values that align with you--you know, the moral questions--does she believe in freedom to love who you love, to care about the poor and the elderly and the people who are disabled, and does she believe in rights for women and transgender folks? Does she care about our essential democratic principles, and does she pledge to serve the people (not the other way around)? Then VOTE FOR HER. Otherwise, we may find our country in the hands of Trump, who has definitely shown us what his morals are. 

Perhaps you are a guy, or someone who doesn't think reproductive rights for women will impact you in any way (you're old, or are gay or a lesbian (yes, I know what I'm saying here)), or you live in a "progressive" state, so any reproductive laws will not have an effect on you), please...PLEASE think of others who will be impacted--you are included no matter what you think. To me, this is probably the most essential issue of this presidential year. If we are willing to deny women their own bodily autonomy, we are saying that 50%+ of our population does not have a voice, does not have personal freedom...ever. If we say women cannot make their own reproductive decisions, we are saying they are no longer human--we are willing to let them die. Women will be expendable in the eyes of the government. Do we want to live in a country like that? Because make no mistake--you will lose someone you love, whether it's because of an issue in pregnancy, a miscarriage, or because they are still a child, and are forced to carry a fetus because the government has mandated it. If the government is willing to take essential rights away from women of child-bearing age, where does that end? Whose rights will be taken away next? Because there will be a "next group".

Things are too close to sit this one out. Anyone not voting is essentially a vote for Trump no matter how you slice it. I encourage you all to reach out to your circles and remind people of what is at stake. We don't want to wake up on November 6th and not have done everything we can to get out our vote. 

To reiterate: 

To not vote at all is a vote for Trump.

To skip voting for a presidential candidate is a vote for Trump.

A vote for a third-party candidate is a vote for Trump.

Do NOT waste your vote this year! The margin of error is minuscule, and every adult needs to cast a vote.