This morning, June 5th, 2016, I listened to an interview with Donald Trump on CNN's "State of the Union," and Hillary Clinton on ABC's "This Week." On CNN, Trump, who has no barriers between his thoughts and mouth, made the most overtly bigoted/racist/slanderous comments I have ever heard come out of a politician's mouth. There was no equivocation about his feelings for the judge presiding over the Trump University lawsuit; he was a "Mexican" and specifically because of that he was not qualified to be a judge in his case.
Meanwhile on ABC, Clinton, who has nothing but barriers between her thoughts and her mouth, was so cowardly and shameless that even when a recording of her own voice was played saying she was in favor of taxing guns, she meandered and all but disavowed it. Her unwillingness to answer direct questions about the gun issue or take true responsibility for her errors on the email issue prove that she has neither standards nor courage.
In the exactly 30 years I have been a voter, never have I been faced with such an awful choice of candidates. And never in a million years would I vote for someone like Clinton...except that I don't want vote for someone who openly promotes ethnic hatred as Trump does.
I take that very seriously. In the early decades of the 20th century, Jews, Asians, the Irish and Catholics were the Mexicans and Muslims of that era. We look back at those years in disgust, but how does it differ from what is happening today? Is it because all our groups are now the native born so we turn against the new groups to scapegoat, just as we once were? That's not American exceptionalism, it's American disgracefulness.
For Trump to become President would mean that millions of people would become second class citizens, based on either their religion or what country their parents happened to be born in. That is not acceptable. If Clinton becomes President there will be war, mark my words, and with it all the tragedies that unfold from such violence. History keeps wanting to teach us the folly of such armed interventions, it begs us to take heed, but most, like Clinton herself, refuse to learn the lesson. On top of that, there will be the scandals, the endless lies and scandals that the Clintons bring upon themselves because they just can't help themselves. That is not acceptable either.
This is not an issue of the lesser of two evils. This is an issue that no matter who wins, something terrible is going to befall our country. And this is why I absolutely abhor this election.
I want to vote third party, I really do, but I think I am going to have to chose Clinton. Let me be clear - the sole reason that I am faced with betraying my personal pledge never to vote for someone I distrust or believe will be a bad president is that I can empathize with all those innocent Americans of the Muslim faith, and those of Mexican heritage, who will, under President Trump, know that they are hated and feared by the one person who should be defending them. I think of their pain and I have no choice but to side with them.
In the infinitesimal chance that Secretary Clinton sees this, I want her to understand that she shouldn't be content with people like me voting not for her, but against Trump. That's no way to win the highest office not just in our country, but in the world.
I'd ask her to earn our votes, not by necessarily agreeing with everything we do, but by proving to us that she's going to run principled campaign where we know exactly what her thoughts and beliefs are. In other words, stop being so craven when asked questions about controversial issues.
Do you believe the Constitution says you have a personal right to bear arms? If I don't agree with you I'd have some respect that you at least answered the question. On the email issue, I'd ask her to stop trying to find a loophole she can grasp onto to and accept that she made a terrible mistake. If she can't, after the Inspector General's report, then why would I trust anything she says when she will always pull the childish "someone else did it" card?
To Donald Trump I say this; it is a weak man who uses fear to ignite racial and religious hatred. To succeed by such means is dishonorable, and it stains your name forever.
The Office of the President of the United States should never be something you feel entitled to, nor obtained through oppression and fear. Unfortunately for us all, that is exactly what we are faced with in this election.
To those already thinking of running for president in 2020 I say this; help us rise as a people by respecting our wonderful diversity and by leading with honor and dignity. Do that, and you will win because you will prove to be worthy of the position.