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A Case for Not Sitting Out of This Election

  • johnmakell
  • Oct 26, 2024
  • 4 min read

Updated: Nov 3, 2024



Let us first get the intro out of the way. Politically I am Left of center. I am a 66-year-old African American married man of faith, with a 25-year-old son, and a young grandson. Financially we are middle class, and I am still working. I am writing this piece because I feel the Lord placed it upon my heart to do so at this time, and if you read it to the end, you'll see how not voting or casting a protest vote hurts the future prospects of Democrats, Republicans, and ultimately our nation.


As a registered Democrat I wonder how many democratic politicians and pundits have been willing to actually look at our party in an honest manner to try to figure out why the upcoming Presidential election will be so close. Just as the Republican Party is a home for some extreme and detestable points of view, I'm wondering how many Democrats are willing to realize how much this is also true on our side of the fence.


Ok, there are lies and blatant exaggerations coming from the Republican side that try to paint an inaccurate picture. Unfortunately, many citizens that try to stay politically aware, tune into media that is solidly Left or Right, and who is committed to telling one side of the story (See the Media Bias Chart on the Home Page). This results in many on the Right side believing the lies and exaggerations, and those on the Left, after listening to the coverage of their media outlets of choice, continuing to be appalled at what some on the Right have said. The mistake in my mind, again, is for things like this to encourage many on the Left to focus on just how bad the other side is, but at the same time fail to look in the mirror.


A major television network that is solidly Left, and the one that I tune into pretty frequently, has shown support for "Drag Queen Story Hour" for little kids. That, in and of itself, is enough to turn stomachs and lead many to think, "these people (the network and the party they favor) are crazy". The LGTBQ voting block is substantial, and although the Republicans have softened their anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, it is the Democrats with their support of things like the Story Hour, that cause many to say, "I don't want anything to do with the Democrats".


The term "Woke", originally had a very positive connotation, expressing an awareness of our circumstances, social issues, etc.... Like it or not, racial injustice is a fact. It has been a part of our history, it is still embedded in our culture, and in my mind, it is a good thing to be "Woke" in matters like this. Level headedness and sensible dialogue needs to ensue, however, to determine how this should be addressed in our schools and in society in general. Regrettably, though; some extreme and anti-social views related to this have found their way under the "Woke" and ultimately Democratic tents.


As for abortion, it appears difficult for many to validate the opinions of the other side. On one hand, many Pro-Choicers become indignant about the prospect of even a 24-hour waiting period required by some states between counseling and the procedure. Lost on many of them is that we are actually talking about terminating a life, and if being given the benefit of some counsel results in a change of mind and the saving of a life, isn't that a good thing? Politicians and pundits that are dismissive of Pro-Lifers, "How Dare You Feel This Way", only serve to shut down any hopes of productive communication. Dialogue that could have included a personal disapproval from the Pro-Choicer of the casualness of which some, or many may utilize abortion in a manner that blatantly devalues life, while on the other hand, expressing how "abortion bans" affect the many that do value human life. Many who are married, have taken contraceptive measures, but a pregnancy occurs anyway. Should the government also be telling these people and their families what to do?


Those considering not voting or casting a protest vote because they claim to realize the danger of electing Trump, but feel that Kamala is also unacceptable, need to think about their party's prospects beyond election day. If Kamala Harris wins this election and the Democratic leadership at the various levels fail to adequately reach across the aisle, if Harris fails to adequately give those with opposing views a seat at the table as she said, and if the Democrats in general don't succeed in changing their reputation in a lot of people's minds, I believe that the Republicans will be able to regroup and rebound stronger than ever. With Trump's influence, prayerfully, in the rear-view, there will be sensible Republicans poised to lead a "Red Wave" in 2026 and be set up for success in 2028. If Trump wins, however; and "blows things up" so to speak, how do you think the electorate will respond in the future? Pretty obvious that the Democrats will rebound strongly, not to mention that "blowing things up" likely will result in complications that will be with us for years to come. So, if you want to look at it as choosing the lesser of two evils then so be it. Please don't underestimate the implications of not opposing the greater of the two evils!!!


















 
 
 

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About Me

With Oprah.jpg

Ok, so I'm not actually with Oprah. This is a picture we took at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Washington DC. I'm simply a hard-working family man that is trying to make it, and I do have an ability to see both sides of issues.

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