BRATTLEBORO — Sandy Golden: Are you saying we should use our vote to help a blatantly bigoted, hate- and fearmongering, lying, narcissistic misogynist claim the White House and advance his insane and, crucially, dangerous “policies”?
Are you actually suggesting we should allow Donald Trump and all of the neofascist people he represents to drag us backward into the darkness of a nationalistic, xenophobic, hateful place that will take years, if not decades, to break free from?
(You might also want to consider what sort of example having Trump as president would set for young women and young men alike.)
Forget, for now, the disappointment with Hillary Clinton being nominated, and think of our fellow citizens not fortunate enough to live in our safe, liberal, Northeast bubble. Vote to send the worst elements of right-wing extremism back to the hellholes from which they have so brazenly crawled.
We can deal with Hillary and her mistakes and faults after the election. We can continue to forward progressive ideals by electing local, state, and national people who can fight to change the old guard.
I have confidence in the courage and enthusiasm so many young voters have shown over the past few months. I can see how engaged they are, and it's great that they are asking questions and sharing information to know more about today's politics and politicians.
I have hope in the future, but only if we first fight and win this very immediate battle against ignorance and hate by ensuring Trump gets nowhere near the Oval Office.
Put the energy you are currently expending on anger and bitterness into something meaningful and helpful: Volunteer to help people register in the states that are trying their damnedest to disenfranchise people of their right to vote. Organize carpools to ferry people to and from polling stations. Get the word out about the lies being pedaled by Trump and his minions to stir up fear and hatred. (It's easy to fact-check him - Google it!)
Lastly, while I take issue with many of Hillary's decisions in the past, and I'm not her biggest fan, I absolutely do not believe, nor did I see any evidence at the time, that she “stood by [Bill] like a doormat” during his idiot antics; rather, she loved him, saw his faults, dealt with them, and no doubt made his life a bit uncomfortable, to say the least, until he came to his senses. She is definitely no doormat.