As we approach the final stretch of the presidential elections, it is important that we take a moment to consider just what is at stake in this election - who goes on to become president will affect everyone in the United States. So far we have seen a campaign that has been filled with hate, bigotry and divisiveness. But after November, the campaigns will be a thing of the past and we will be faced with the reality of a new president. It is a reality that we are all capable of influencing positively come November 8th.
In Donald Trump we have a potential leader who has shown all the hallmarks of someone who is erratic, irresponsible and completely obtuse. He has led a campaign that has sent ripples through American society and has unleashed a destructive wave of hate, bigotry, misogyny and racism that genuinely threatens to become the norm should he become president. And whilst it is true that all the polls are showing a Clinton lead, there should be no doubt on the critical importance to show up and vote for Hillary Clinton.
Hillary offers us a sane and rational voice in what has been a contest dominated by demagoguery and hatred. There are many Americans who are hostile to the idea of voting for Clinton, and these include Democrats who supported Bernie Sanders as well as Muslims, Latinos, and African Americans - many of them intend to vote Jill Stein on Election Day. But we should be under no illusion about the dangers this poses; this is an exceptional presidential battle in US history and the harsh reality is that a vote for Jill Stein is a vote for Donald Trump. We must acknowledge that the only way to stop Trump is to vote Clinton.
A Trump presidency would give rise to a new misogynistic and bigoted public discourse in America, one that fundamentally disrespects and degrades women in the most humiliating way, and one that looks at immigrants and minorities with suspicion and contempt - the vulgarity of Trump's campaign tactics will end up becoming the norm across American society - Xenophobia, racism, homophobia and Islamophobia will go from the margins of our society to the mainstream, and this will have far-reaching consequences for America at large. It is such things that we must carefully think and question ourselves about; what will be the real impact of a Trump presidency on all of our futures and the futures of our children?
Now is the time for us to show vision and foresight, we must look beyond the campaigns for a moment and understand what Trump actually means, and what kind of impact he will have on our communities and our future. Even if some of us have negative views of Hillary Clinton, we must comprehend and appreciate the unique opportunity we have in a Hillary Clinton presidency. Should she win, people like myself, a Muslim woman, along with millions of others from various communities in the United States, will find ourselves to be accepted, included and represented at the highest levels of our society. Our voices will be heard and our place in wider society will be assured. Should Trump become leader, we will witness the unravelling of decades of social progress that has been made in America; whether it is equality, women's rights, inclusion, and diversity - and it will be replaced by something distinctly more unpleasant.
Hillary Clinton has made it her mission to reach out to communities who are feeling a real sense of fear and anxiety, she has made inclusion, diversity, and acceptance a core part of her campaign narratives - that is something that we as a society cannot ignore, it is absolutely critical that we preserve what we have achieved as a society and build on it for future generations. What's more, Hillary Clinton has responded to Trump's bigotry by doing exactly the opposite; her campaign is perhaps one of the most inclusive I have ever seen in the US - she has made the Muslim, Latino and African American vote a significant part of her electoral plan, and she has filled her campaign team with people from different backgrounds - often only to receive criticism from the right wing press. On the 8th of November, we should all vote with our intellect and our conscience, and carefully think about what kind of future we want for this country.
Debbie Almontaser
EMERGE USA NATIONAL BOARD MEMBER
SHE TWEETS AT @DEBBIALMONTASER