Pandemics, Wildfires, + Voting. . . Oh My!
Just harkening back to simpler days when we could breathe clean air outside and I was all ‘Wild Wild West’ vibes and not all worried about wild wild wildfire vibes.
Oregon is experiencing the most rampant wildfires it’s seen in decades. Small towns have been wiped out and thousands of people have been forced to evacuate. I’m devastated for the forest that I love so much that has burned and for the people who lost everything there. For the wildlife lost and displaced. I have to be thankful that we’re only faced with hazardous air quality right now, but the sheer thought of what’s happening a few hundred miles west is enough to make me drop to my knees.
It seems like a new battle rages every day, to the extent that I’ve said: “Oh yeah and the global pandemic, I forgot about that” more than once these past few weeks.
I’ve been trying to keep it light - for my own mental sanity - but honestly it’s difficult and I’m easily distracted. My heart hurts for all the loss. But I’m trying to remain thankful. For the first responders who are fighting all hours of the day and night against these fires. For Breonna Taylor’s case going before a grand jury soon. For the election volunteer texts I’ve gotten this week making sure I’m good with my voting needs. The fight continues on all fronts, and for that I’m thankful.
But I could use a hug and there are a million people I wish I could give hugs to.
Climate change is real, folks. As the dominoes continue to fall — the ‘unprecedented’ storms, fires, temperatures, etc.— they reveal the buildup of our missteps & mistreatment of the planet.
Just like love is love is love, science is science is science.
We have 48 days until the election. I’m praying people will vote for leaders who believe in science in general and who believe in the science on climate change; who advocate for environmental protection instead of doing the exact opposite and who will help implement policy change.
I doodled up this thought about voting that I’ve seen/heard now more than once and attached it below. (If anyone knows who said this please let me know in the comments so I can quote them properly!)
Basically, there will rarely be a politician whose views completely align with yours… Don’t look at voting as a marriage between your ideals and one politician, look at it as choosing the most reliable source of public transport that has the best chance of moving us all toward our destination.
In terms of the 2020 election I hope people take this advice a few different ways:
For the people who vote Republican because “they’re conservative and they’ve always voted Republican and upheld those ideals” — I respect that completely, and regardless of background or beliefs I hope this demographic understands that Trump holds none of those values or ideals himself. Choosing a candidate that unites rather than divides us is critical for the safety and well-being of our country in the four years ahead.
For the people who vote Third Party because they always have/ they dislike both major candidates/ they’re voting their ideals… As much as I would love to support a third party candidate and dismantle our bipartisan system, the 2020 election has become a game of strategy. We must support Biden/Harris, statistically, to have any chance of beating Trump in November. I know Biden isn’t perfect, but at least he’s not an extremely loose cannon.
For the people who don’t vote at all because they never have/ dislike both major candidates/ dislike politics in general / dislike or distrust the government or “the system”… I get that. But there is more at stake right now than there ever has been. For the sake of the planet (which is literally burning around me) and for basic human rights, the right to vote has never been more important or precious.
TOOLS TO HELP YOU VOTE LIKE A PRO:
👉🏻 GO TO: Ballotpedia.org and get a sample ballot specific to your area as well as detailed info about policies on your ballot, each candidate, and their voting history. Once you’re on their website click: Main Menu → What’s on your ballot → (then enter your address) → See your sample ballot + start learning about your state representatives. Who and what they support and their decisions have huge impact on your state’s environmental welfare.
👉🏻 CHECK OUT: @soyouwanttotalkabout on Instagram. Their entire page in general is great, but their posts on READING YOUR BALLOT, THIRD PARTY VOTING, and the VOTE story highlight I found to be full of helpful election tools.
👉🏻 PLAN EARLY! Whether mailing-in your ballot, dropping your mail-in ballot at a secure ballot drop box (probably what we’ll be doing), or voting in person - plan early. Check that your voter registration is accurate (vote.org is great!) and know ahead what’s available to you and where.
Got a game plan? GOOD.
Get excited about voting, and get your friends on board, too! (And for the love of God if you have any friends or family who are not voting - tell them their voice matters! Find a way to share information, statistics, and facts that relate to them and their best interest. (Tell them to vote for their children! Or for their great great grandmothers who couldn’t vote!)
“THIS IS NOT A MOMENT, IT’S THE MOVEMENT.” (Where are my fellow Hamilton fans at?)
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