Party loyalty is a means of control. I vote for those who will represent me, period.

[F4lconF16]

315. I have a favor to ask of you.

It is unfortunate that the poster did not realize Travon's relevance in my thread when responding to you.

Of course he is relevant to this discussion. Just as Zoreida Reyes is, and any other living under the intense conditions of institutional bigotry in the United States.

Here's what I have to say, though.

With all due respect, you do have the luxury of another 8 years of similar politics from the Democratic Party establishment. I don't. I really don't.

My complete lack of economic privilege in no way diminishes my privilege as a white man. My bisexuality and gender non-identification really doesn't affect me much, unless I get unlucky. It's not something I deal with everyday, like being a woman or trans or black. I can't be identified visually as being completely outside the norm: atheist, socialist, queer, etc. I am, for all intents and purposes as far as privilege tends to go, a straight white man.

I get why you say I have the luxury of not voting for my preferred candidate. I genuinely do. But I will not last another 8 years under a continuation of our current economic policies. I might not last 4, or even 2. I don't know.

I, and many others, will not let our voices go unheard this year. We have had enough.

I know that PoC in this country have never had their voices heard, so saying that sounds awfully privileged.

But here's the thing: for me, I refuse to vote for the establishment candidate not just for myself, but for the trans community who will not receive health care, the AA community who cannot take an invisible and slow escalation of the drug war, the women who will have reproductive services stolen under Democrats who pretend they are doing a thing to defend it. My voice cries out for the marginalized as well as for me, though of course I do my best not to speak for them.

Let me explain.

I have no hope that Sanders will change any of this. He or any other democrats, for that matter. Liberalism is not a friend to the oppressed; never has been, and I will be utterly shocked if he manages to change much, even with the support of his movement. Contrary to what he says, this is not even close to a "revolution". Not even a political one.

But he is changing the dynamics of the current American political scene, and I think that's what needs to happen. He is not going to bring up race or gender or sexuality or religion without being forced to, but he is changing to focus on those issues more. With pressure, we could have a real ally. I think he is already, though of course blinded by his privilege. We see that in his reactions to being challenged.

I cannot see Clinton being that way. She will be like Obama, who has pushed all sorts of awful policies under the surface. He pushed for the death penalty, for expansion of the COPS and Byrne grant program, for privatization of education, for trade deals (more than just the TPP) that will undermine our industry, for expansion of war and the crimes associated with it--among other things. Clinton will do much of the same, and more.

Yes, they are not as bad as Republicans, not even close. But how long do we have? In 8 years, will you vote for a Lieberman over a Cruz? What about all the suffering in the meantime? The solidifying of our new colorblind racial caste system? The tightening grip over our industry and society by a few elites? When we have a president who will claim to be fighting that while doing the opposite, we will not change a thing. 50 years from now, climate change renders all of the lesser of two evils thing a moot point. We will all be done for unless we change, and soon.

For those reasons and more, I am willing to stand up and take the risk of electing a Republican because our voices have to be heard. That is what is important now.

This country has survived them before, and will again--even the most oppressed of communities, though the harm done will be real and extremely painful. We will not survive a steady slide downhill over 20 or more years.

I am not interested in effecting change in politics; I am interested in changing the perceptions of people. The only way to do that is to show them an alternate way, to recognize that what we have now is NOT working and refuse to support it.

I promise I am not trying to change your mind or convince you of my ideas. I'm sure I'm wrong about plenty of this. I just want you to realize it isn't out of "luxury" that many of us are going to reject the Democratic nominee if it is not Sanders. Please do not call it as such, and please recognize the serious thought we have put into this. It is not an easy decision. Thank you.