Election Day

I need to exercise my first amendment right for a moment here. Yes, this is a political post (albeit a rant), so come back later if you're just here for pics of my kiddos. 

I am a huge political junkie. I have been into politics since I was 17. It was the George W. Bush vs John Kerry election of 2004. I was a year shy of being able to vote but I was invested in learning all I could about the candidates anyway. 

I came forward about my democratic leanings via an editorial I wrote as editor of my high school newsletter. Never have I been so mocked and teased relentlessly for speaking out about my beliefs. It wasn't just by students, my fellow peers, I was accosted by my teachers too. In the hallways, called out in the middle of class, it was humiliating to be challenged like that by men triple my age. But I stuck to my beliefs despite the ridicule and pursed a political science minor in college. I learned a lot about the American political system during that time. 

Now, I find that same political barrage of back and forth mud slinging across party lines daily on social media. Yet I'm so grateful we have that right - to speak freely about our beliefs. 

So I'm here to say that I love and support Hillary Clinton for president. 

This was my THIRD time voting for this woman for president. Yes, third. Ive spent hours upon hours researching both candidates during this election cycle. I've read articles and literature from big media, small media and beyond. I've even read the conspiracy theories and websites that are totally legit, but read like its from The Onion. I've read the WikiLeaks and I've read many of the deleted emails. I've also read the interpretations of those emails by the "super sleuths" of Reddit. *insert eye roll here*

If you don't like/don't plan to vote for Hillary, that's fine. By all means, exercise your right. But please, PLEASE, stop treating Facebook and other social media platforms like they are a primary and reliable source of news. Those memes your friends share? Some are funny and some are true, but many of them are not. Don't assume everyone who comments about politics online is somehow an expert. Because they aren't. We are all at risk for falling for misleading information out there. Myself included. 

Do I think Hillary is perfect? No. But neither am I, nor has any presidential candidate been since the founding of this country. 

However I firmly believe, despite her faults, she's 100 percent qualified to become president. I'm not voting for her husband. I'm voting for her, make no mistake. 

Under a potential Donald Trump leadership I fear for my fellow man. I fear for my friends and family who are of color. I fear for my LGBTQ family and friends. I fear for all women. I fear for my children and I fear for humanity. 

We cannot let this terrible human become the ruler of our nation. He represents so many disputable traits including sexism, racism, xenophobia, homophobia and hatred toward those who are different. I know some of you, my friends, my family, are Trump supporters. I absolutely do not understand how you can support this man to be elected president.  It cannot, should not happen and I won't sit idly by hoping it doesn't. This day cannot pass soon enough. 

But I don't delude myself into thinking that even a Clinton win will change all of the hatred and anger I'm seeing in this country. There's a reason this race is so tight. It's because many don't see the problem with Donald Trump's rhetoric and ideas. You're okay with the idea of deporting entire races and religions and taking away rights from women and members of the LGBT. I'm not sure how you were raised or why you think those thoughts and behaviors are okay, but they aren't. 

I'm raising two pretty amazing kids. I never, ever want them to think they are better than anyone else because they are white. I don't want to raise them to think men are better than women or that Christianity is the only acceptable religion. I want them to be able to grow up and love who they love without fear of persecution and fear they'll have their rights stripped away. I want them to have access to higher education and health care. And more than anything, I want them to have a future. A future on this beautiful planet we continue to destroy and take for granted. I want this planet to exist for them in 20 years, when they prepare to start their adult lives and have families of their own. 

It may not seem like a big deal, but who wins this election can impact all of that. I fear for this country and I fear for my children. Election Day, today, won't end the hatred, racism, sexism and homophobia that plagues this country, regardless of the outcome. But if we make the right choice, the better choice, at least we've got a shot toward a brighter future. I'm honored and elated to be able to cast my vote for the first woman president. I didn't vote for her because she's a woman, I voted for because I am. 

#imwithher