What Does Kerra Seay?: Who should I vote for, Trump or Not-Trump?
I am simultaneously happy and upset that I
don’t get to vote in the U.S. federal election.
Happy, because whatever the results I will not
feel any responsibility for the repercussions
and upset because I have no control over anything
and can only watch it unfold, completely
powerless.
I recently learned that I have a friend who actually will be voting in the election; she was born in Canada but thanks to her American mother she is eligible to vote in both countries. She is registered to vote and ready to go.
The only problem is, we are less than a month away from the election and she still isn’t sure who to vote for.
I don’t envy her for her situation. Though my previous articles have implied that I would vote for Clinton, I understand that this election really is a vote between the lesser of two evils, and that figuring out who is the lesser evil is not a simple task.
In my opinion, the key difference between the candidates is this: Donald Trump would nuke a country because of a perceived slight to his character or appearance. Hillary Clinton would nuke a country while fully understanding the consequences and would do it anyways.
In that context, I don’t know which candidate is worse.
But when I look at how the candidates publicly portray themselves, I find myself unable to support Trump in his run for president.
As someone who is friends with people who come from many different religions, I cannot support someone who stirs the flames of Islamophobia for political gain. I do not support someone who inspires fear as a way to move up the political ladder.
As someone who believes that men and women should be treated equally, I cannot support someone who so clearly sees women solely as objects for their own pleasure. Women are more than their beauty, and to objectify them in such a way is unacceptable.
As someone who best deems racism unacceptable in any situation, I cannot support someone who paints an entire group of people with the same brush. Mexicans are not all criminals or rapists, and not all African-Americans live in inner city slums.
As someone who believes strongly in a woman’s right to her own body, I cannot support someone whose opinion on abortion is so difficult to keep track of. At one point, Trump has said he supports a woman’s right to choose; at another point, he said that a woman who chooses to have an abortion should be “punished in some way”.
As a member and ally of the LGBTQ+ community, I cannot support someone who says he will nominate a new Supreme Court Justice who will help overturn gay marriage. This law is critical in the progress for full equality for members of this community.
But most importantly, as someone who knows far too many survivors of sexual violence, I cannot say I support a man who lacks the understanding of the role his words and actions play in the continued perpetration and normalization of sexual violence.
His comments about women cannot be brushed aside as “locker room talk”. What those comments mean, along with his history of demeaning behaviour towards women, is that Trump actually believes he can sexually assault women (and yes, claiming he has done whatever he wanted to women, such as grabbing their genitalia, is assault) and can get away with it because he is rich and powerful.
Imagine what this man would be like if he had power over a country full of women, people of colour, LGBTQ+ members or anyone else who triggers his anger.
And when I look over to the other side of the ticket and see a candidate, as flawed as she is, I see the opportunity to let Trump know that his words, behaviour and actions are unacceptable, and that by saying these things he has proven he does not have the temperament to be president.
This truly is an election between Trump and not Trump. Good luck to anyone who has to make a decision between the two.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
I recently learned that I have a friend who actually will be voting in the election; she was born in Canada but thanks to her American mother she is eligible to vote in both countries. She is registered to vote and ready to go.
The only problem is, we are less than a month away from the election and she still isn’t sure who to vote for.
I don’t envy her for her situation. Though my previous articles have implied that I would vote for Clinton, I understand that this election really is a vote between the lesser of two evils, and that figuring out who is the lesser evil is not a simple task.
In my opinion, the key difference between the candidates is this: Donald Trump would nuke a country because of a perceived slight to his character or appearance. Hillary Clinton would nuke a country while fully understanding the consequences and would do it anyways.
In that context, I don’t know which candidate is worse.
But when I look at how the candidates publicly portray themselves, I find myself unable to support Trump in his run for president.
As someone who is friends with people who come from many different religions, I cannot support someone who stirs the flames of Islamophobia for political gain. I do not support someone who inspires fear as a way to move up the political ladder.
As someone who believes that men and women should be treated equally, I cannot support someone who so clearly sees women solely as objects for their own pleasure. Women are more than their beauty, and to objectify them in such a way is unacceptable.
As someone who best deems racism unacceptable in any situation, I cannot support someone who paints an entire group of people with the same brush. Mexicans are not all criminals or rapists, and not all African-Americans live in inner city slums.
As someone who believes strongly in a woman’s right to her own body, I cannot support someone whose opinion on abortion is so difficult to keep track of. At one point, Trump has said he supports a woman’s right to choose; at another point, he said that a woman who chooses to have an abortion should be “punished in some way”.
As a member and ally of the LGBTQ+ community, I cannot support someone who says he will nominate a new Supreme Court Justice who will help overturn gay marriage. This law is critical in the progress for full equality for members of this community.
But most importantly, as someone who knows far too many survivors of sexual violence, I cannot say I support a man who lacks the understanding of the role his words and actions play in the continued perpetration and normalization of sexual violence.
His comments about women cannot be brushed aside as “locker room talk”. What those comments mean, along with his history of demeaning behaviour towards women, is that Trump actually believes he can sexually assault women (and yes, claiming he has done whatever he wanted to women, such as grabbing their genitalia, is assault) and can get away with it because he is rich and powerful.
Imagine what this man would be like if he had power over a country full of women, people of colour, LGBTQ+ members or anyone else who triggers his anger.
And when I look over to the other side of the ticket and see a candidate, as flawed as she is, I see the opportunity to let Trump know that his words, behaviour and actions are unacceptable, and that by saying these things he has proven he does not have the temperament to be president.
This truly is an election between Trump and not Trump. Good luck to anyone who has to make a decision between the two.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
