I hate politics.
Hate them.
I have my opinions.
I know what I feel is right, and who I think should be leading our country
and I generally leave it at that.
I keep my opinions to myself and let everyone else have their opinions.
That's what our country was based on
the idea that everyone is free to choose what to believe,
free from the oppression of a domineering system.
BUT
today, when i learned that someone very dear to me is voting for 'the other guy'
i became very upset.
i usually am not upset by things like this
my parents and i have different political beliefs and it bothers me very little.
but today...
...
this is what i have to say:
Just over a year ago I found myself in a very tricky situation.
I had to take a step back and examine some incredibly difficult options and make a choice.
NONE of the choices would have been easy to make,
all of the possible outcomes were negative, in my eyes,
and I had to pick the one that would, in the long run, be the least painful and most beneficial to myself.
The choice I made was one that a vast majority of people would not have picked,
but for me
it was the right choice.
My choice.
Running for President are two candidates.
I took the time today to verify some facts about each candidate's positions specifically regarding Me and My Choices.
and this is what i found:
Candidate 1: Aiming to continue legislation that requires health insurance to cover women's preventative care (such as cancer screening) and birth-control. He supports a woman's right to make her own decisions and encourages counsel between women and their doctor when important matters are concerned. He believes that no matter your personal values (religious or otherwise) no one person should limit the choices of others whose values may be different from their own.
Candidate 2: Aiming to repeal existing legislation that would allow health providers and employers to limit women's access to care and birth-control. He also believes in eliminated non-profit organizations such as Planned Parenthood, and repealing Roe v. Wade, limiting a woman's personal right to make a choice on her own. He believes that personal values should affect a person's choices (which I don't disagree with), but he also believes that employers and health care providers should be allowed to prevent those whose values are different from making choices.
I pulled information from each candidate's webpage for this comparison, trying not to put a bias on either one, and trying to focus strictly on their platforms concerning Women and their rights.
I'm sure, though, it's clear which candidate I support.
My bias un-avoidably crept into my analysis.
But the main idea I wanted to highlight was:
one candidate believes in continuing to allow women to make their own choices.
and
one candidate believes that women's choices should be limited by the government.
(and ps- i know the 'values' that candidate 2 has. i was raised with the same religious background.
a religious background that believes in free-will, and in loving everyone, and that it is not our place to judge those whose lives are alternative to our own.
His religion, at it's core, believes that those who do not follow it's teachings will be judged by The Creator when their time comes and that it is not our place to 'cast the first stone' or condemn those whose 'sins' are different from ours.
His platform regarding women seems a bit counter-intuitive to me, when looked at under this religious lens.)
When I had to make that difficult choice a year ago I was supported by a handful of my very close friends.
One of whom I mentioned earlier.
This friend literally held my hand the whole time.
And ensured me that she didn't think I made a bad choice,
whether or not it would've been what she chose.
I respect your right (and hers) to support whichever candidate you like
but when one candidate believes that I shouldn't have been allowed to even consider my choice,
believes that i should be ashamed of my choice
and regret the decision i made....
I do not respect that.
Nor do I respect the thought that, if elected, this candidate will take away more of my options-
my ability to chose anything.
Everyone free to choose to pursue Life, Liberty, and Happiness.
If I hadn't had the ability to make all of the choices I've made in my life
I would not be headed on the bright and beautiful path towards happiness.
And while my choice was hard, and I still wish I'd never had to make it
I do not regret anything I've ever done with my life.
So it boils down to this.
I am a woman. I am smart, I am kind, I am a good human.
I believe in love, and in being good to people.
I believe in love, and in being good to people.
And I believe in preserving the rights I am entitled to as a human.
The right to health-care, and the right to choose for myself how to live my life.
I want my sister to be able to grow up in a country where she'll be able to learn and grow and have the ability to choose her own path, whatever that may be.
I'll stop. This is long. And a bit... emotionally charged.
I'm not looking for support or arguments.
I just needed to get some feelings off my chest.
If you stuck around this long, Thanks for your attention.
Here are links to the pages I referenced for my analysis on each candidate:
http://www.barackobama.com/womens-issues?source=primary-nav
http://www.barackobama.com/womens-issues?source=primary-nav