A Different Way to Think About Voting

I wonder what would happen if we casted our votes not for the individuals running for office, but for the possible states of our democracy.

When we think of this election as two individuals pitted against one another, we risk discounting not only all the other important elections on Nov. 5, but also the most meaningful implications of this election.

Neither Trump nor Harris is perfect. Harris has been soft on Israel at a time when harder action was right. And yet, we cannot become so absorbed in Harris’s faults that we ignore what’s at stake.

In this election, the climate of our world will be decided. The conditions under which we protest will be decided. The fate of our democracy for the coming decades will be decided.

Unless our climate crisis is addressed today with strong, clear-headed leadership, Gaza, along with many other cities around the world, will be unlivable in 50-100 years. This is not just my opinion. That’s based on the preponderance of the best climate models out there. It’s Jeff Goddell, one of America’s best environmental reporters, writing in his bestselling book, “The Heat Will Kill You First.”

If this election is a matter of protesting to you, consider who you would rather your opponent be: Trump or Harris. Netanyahu wants Trump to be elected because once we get Harris elected we can continue to challenge her on this issue. Don’t diminish this election to Trump or Harris, but recognize that a Trump administration leaves little, if any, room for impactful advocacy.

Reducing this election to a contest of individuals comes at a cost. The irrational attitudes we normalize when speaking of individuals become commonplace in discussions of this election. Trump’s sexist, homophobic, and racist statements should be something you consider when voting. Moreover, the fact that truth could become obsolete is something that threatens our very understanding of sexism, homophobia, and racism.

Trump’s lies disrupt truth and, in turn, our democracy.

I am talking about the truth that colleges across the U.S., including Swarthmore, invest in companies that supply weapons to Israel. The truth that climate change is real. The truth that hurricane Helene was abstract, unless you were in its path. Then it was hell.

It’s easy to think of this election as two individuals pitted against one another, neither willing to listen. But if Trump is elected president it won’t be a matter of listening. By not voting, you risk not having a voice at all.