Folks, the US election is here.
In the past year, many people have told me I’m overreacting. Living in fear. That I have misunderstood this president or have been indoctrinated by his opposition.
Some have encouraged spiritual bypassing and told me that I should focus on art or meditation or abstract esoteric ideas rather than address real concrete threats to my own safety and to those I love.
Yet now we are in the midst of a resurgent pandemic, the hottest year on record, record-setting fires, a constitutional crisis, an imploding economy, and a maelstrom of racist violence. In what way was I overreacting?
This election is especially important.
Environment: our survival is at stake. The United States can play a pivotal role in saving our climate or destroying it. Joe Biden actually acknowledges that climate change is real and has a plan to respond to it functionally.
Economy: Our economy has consistently improved under democratic administrations. Our national debt has consistently grown worse under Republicans and our country now has the highest debt …ever. We have had some of the worst employment numbers in generations this year. This is not due to the coronavirus, this is due to the complete ineptitude and denialism of this administration. We would not be in this situation if Biden were president.
Freedom: The basis of our freedom in this democracy is the ability of the people to influence government and law with the vote. Joe Biden encourages voting and expansion of this basic right. The other candidate is actively and openly suppressing the vote.
Justice: only one candidate respects the rule of law: Biden. The current administration actively encourages the greatest active terrorist threat on American soil: white supremacy. Nepotism, conflict of interest, constitutional crimes, and foreign bribes have become commonplace under the current president. Ramming through highly partisan judges. Trump is comprised by owing millions to hostile foreign oligarchs.
Health: Biden will improve our nation’s health. The current administration is responsible for hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths due to mishandling the pandemic. This was entirely intentional and I believe construes murderous intent. The current president sets a terrible example, engaged in toxic emotionality, eating unhealthy food, and flaunting insane denialism. The pandemic is literally spreading unchecked in many parts of the country.
Religion: hate crimes are surging, creating an environment that is hostile to anyone who is not Christian. The president himself is a flagrant hypocrite, who does not attend church, read the Bible, or respect the ethics of the religion he’s using for political gain. He is literally adharmic, fostering confusion, ignorance, hatred, selfishness, and materialism.
Racism: the current president is a racist.
He openly defends violent racists.
This election is especially important because many of my friends do not fit the standard stereotype of white, heterosexual, and Christian. I am worried about the people I love.
This president’s hateful language, his policies, and the violent people he encourages are a direct threat to their safety and sanity. Biden shows with his action that he will walk a different path.
The good news is that more people WILL vote in this election. In many locations, more people have already voted early than voted at all in the last election.
Yes, make art. Pray. Be healthy. Do your spiritual practice. Cultivate inner equanimity in the midst of chaos.
…AND engage in basic action to reduce the suffering of our community.
Please vote. Please disrupt racist speech. Please check your sources before sharing. Please stand strong while the results slowly roll in. It will take time for the results to be ratified in each of the states. As usual.