Stockholm Syndrome:
noun Psychiatry.
An emotional attachment to a captor formed by a hostage as a result of continuous stress, dependence, and a need to cooperate for survival.
The purpose behind the transparency campaign has been just that, for transparency. It has also been a way for me to process my thoughts, and what's happening in our world. So let me start there...
Every election season you hear the allegation that voting "Third Party" is either throwing your vote away, or it's a vote for the other guy. Until this year I've never been in the middle of that fray.
I grew up in a fervent Republican home, where James Dobson's (formerly of Focus on the Family) word was gospel, and voting Republican was what Christians did. Thinking about my childhood makes me wonder why my folks didn't lean more Democratic; we did afterall go through phases where we depended on WIC and food pantries. Democrats were demonized, and I don't ever recall a conversation as to why they were evil pagans (well, there's the whole abortion thing). I really hope when I become a dad, that I'll be transparent, and no topic will be off limits.
All these years I've voted Republican. It's just what I did. Without thought I would select Republican candidates even if I'd never heard of them or researched their track record or character. Republican ☑, Republican ☑, Republican ☑. Somehow these Republicans represented my values, even if I had no clue what they were truly about, based on label alone. I continued to vote republican year after year, expecting different/better results.
I'll just say it... It is irresponsible to vote for anyone or anything which we don't understand.
I'm tired voting for the "lesser evil". The "we're all intrinsically evil" argument aside, I still feel that voting for the lesser evil is still a vote for evil. This, combined with a disenchantment that has built for years has me considering voting Third Party for the first time. This last Presidential debate should give you enough cause to reconsider whether the Two Party system works, let alone can be trusted.
When you talk about voting Third Party you're bound to to hear two things; 1. That your vote will go toward the greater evil candidate, and 2. The person who you're considering going for will never win, so you're wasting your vote.
It's a ridiculous assumption that our vote is owned by anyone or any political party. Living in a democracy we have the honor and privilege to be able to voice our opinion. Voting is our handshake of solidarity or our clenched fist of resistance.
The latter concept, that voting for someone who is bound to lose, is a wasted vote is also false. It is a conscious objection to status quo. It is saying that you're not okay with Washington's continued state of SNAFU. Third Party voters don't give Republican or Democrat voters crap because their vote is 50% bound to fail. So stop using this argument, please and thank you.
Before you vote: know the issues, know the candidates, decide what issues are the most important to you, talk through stuff you don't understand, LISTEN to others who at face value you probably disagree with, and if you're the praying type - pray. Lastly, VOTE, remembering that is how you make a statement which doesn't involve sit-in's, occupying, or molotov cocktails.
"The marvel of all history is
the patience with which men and women
submit to burdens unnecessarily laid upon them by their governments."
- George Washington
