Supporting the "Blue Wave" when you're not a Democrat

I can't tell you how many times I've been called a liberal, or some derogatory version of the word, online due to my views on human rights. For a long time I ignored it and let people believe what they wanted; I'm not going to get into an argument with a stranger on the internet over my political views just because they assume the wrong thing--I've got plenty of better ways to waste my time and I'd rather not use what little I have to perform the virtual equivalent of beating my head into a brick wall.

But now? Now it's starting to get under my skin. Not because I have any issue with Liberals, we have lots in common. But I also have lots in common with Conservatives, (the ones that haven't lost their minds), so having someone accuse me of being a "Biden lover" (I'm not), or say I'm "woke" because I believe all people should have the right to bodily autonomy because I don't think it's anyone's business but the person involved since, you know, it's their god damned body. Why is this even political?!

I'm a traditional stay at home mom, I homeschool my kid, my husband is a retired vet, and I chose to buy a house in a red town in rural Missouri because I felt it was the best place to raise my child. I absolutely love the little town we live in since it has a very warm and welcoming vibe, charming downtown, and beautiful parks.

That being said, the naysayers do have one thing right: I do vote blue. I don't do this because I love all their policies, I do it because Republican candidates have been running on hateful platforms to take people's rights away since I can remember. First it was gay people, now it's trans people and women, and I fear from the recent headlines that disabled people will soon suffer. This is not okay, and I don't think either party should be involved in it--the Constitution says we're all equal, and our romantic preferences, religion, and medical information is none of the government's business, yet we find ourselves facing down a White Christian Nationalist movement that wants to regulate our rights and has been picking up steam. Once again, this is not okay.

As I write this, the government has officially been shut down for 36 days, and Trump is trying to defy orders to send out SNAP benefits to feed over 42 million recipients. He has been holding the government hostage because Democrats want assurance that citizens will not have their health insurance premiums skyrocket--which is going to happen--but he refuses to compromise. Instead he and his cronies tell us why we should hate the Democrats. Y'all, I don't have time for hate in my heart. Tell me how you'll fix insurance for the people, tell me how you plan to feed the people, but ignoring the plight of millions while saying it's the other guy's fault? This is not normal, this is not okay.

Trump has been accelerating things at an alarming pace since he's started his second stint in office. He has effectively dismantled almost every important institution we have: he has gone after schools for not following his orders, fired an insane amount of military higher ups, completely blocked press from the White House and Pentagon, and even managed to back-handedly get a popular talk show host suspended before fans rose up in defiance of what had happened. If what is happening at the CDC doesn't scare you, it should. So many important research projects have been decimated, and the general rule of listening to those who are specialists in their fields is long gone for this administration.

So no, I still won't vote red because they do not represent something that is very, very important to me: honest concern for their constituents' wellbeing. If that ever changes I'll be over the moon, but I honestly don't see that happening right now. So, in the meantime, I'll vote for the blue candidate to try and ensure human rights are not violated, people do not go hungry, and corporations pay their fair share.

At this point, maybe I do want them to call me a liberal; the other side is unforgivable in it's current state.

MJ