Monday, August 1, 2016

When personal principles harm (#2740)

     I have my own standard for things I do and think and they are much stronger and harder for me than any I would force upon others. So it is with politics. Today we have a real debate about who we should or should not vote for based upon our own principles. For me I have decided not to abstain from voting. None of the candidates that are left or that have been defeated have been perfect candidates for me. Every candidate is a compromise as I see it. So I go with the candidate that most closely aligns with my hopes for the future. I am at that point now with my chosen candidate against all others. Even some others who I find intriguing but I know can't win. That is the other calculation, can they actually carry a win out of the general election.
     So it is with my choice, My candidate can win and is as closely aligned to my vision of the future so I am with her. Do I have concerns about her policies, yes of course but those concerns are not even on a level with the disgust I have with the remaining candidate that has a chance to win. He is a despicable human being who has no empathy for those who are not like him. The chance that he may win the election is real and so it is with me that I am voting to not only make sure my candidate wins but that the other candidate does not. Because I have decided to put my own principles aside and do what is best for the country given the choices we have, I have made a statement that I am not more important than what happens to all of us.
     The bigger picture here dictates that I must vote for the candidate that is as close to my own vision as possible while also voting against the candidate that would cause the most harm to all of us. I can sacrifice my own personal principles when it makes the lives of others better. In the end that is my goal. If I never get to realize my principles come to fruition, at least I won't make them worse by being stubborn and not engaging in the reality of the moment and it's consequences. I get that I am less of who I want to be when I compromise my principles, but I get to help those who would be harmed if I didn't compromise my principles.

No comments: