now here’s the not hot take. it is quite possible that this kind of change is not what the majority of those in this country are ready for. change is never easy, there will be fear & reluctance every step of the way. change does not come quickly or without sacrifice. we know this

it does not come without a fight. unfortunately progress isn’t linear. sometimes it really is one step forward, two steps back. but two steps is better than ten.

this is a bleak time for many, & though we are entitled to our grief, to feeling hopeless or trapped, to predicting a grim future, it is my plea that we can leave that hurt behind us or at least work in spite of it, shake off the despair, galvanize & unite.

we shouldn’t throw in the towel & bow out, relinquish what little chance & ability we have to make a difference & have a say in our own government bc the nominee is not who we want & not who we need in the long run, in the grand scheme of this country’s future.

look. the anti-biden & anti-establishment take is relatable & real. the memes are funny & good. & i know we want & need change NOW. we don’t want to wait any more & we shouldn’t have to. but if ur able, consider w/ an open heart & mind that perhaps,

at least according to the majority of dem voters within the primaries (for better or for worse) that this is apparently who they want & need in THIS point in time, in this period of uncertainty & trauma. so perhaps it is who we need for temporary stability, recovery & healing,

UNTIL we can really stand tall & truly be heard & enact real change on the platform we have built, our movement, while we continue the fight for true economic, racial, & social justice & equality. i will say that again:

it may feel like we’re voting for the lesser of two evils in this scenario, voting for the status quo. it may feel like we don’t really have a choice - in a sense that is true, when all the options & avenues for the change we crave have been eliminated.

but we have far more choice than some countries of the world. more than dictatorships, communist states, monarchies. as it is we are quickly sliding into fascism, into authoritarianism, with nepotism & corruption abound but i would argue that we are not quite there yet.

(the nepotism & corruption is already widely present, & is also something that must be tackled) but i digress. in the meantime, in this moment and under these circumstances, we need to do the best within the current parameters that have been set. it sucks. i didn’t want this

i donated & fought hard for what i believed in - change & a progressive candidate in bernie sanders. but we cannot afford to be bernie or bust. we cannot afford to vote independent/3rd party/green party

we know & have been shown time & time again that it does not yield results. it does not garner enough support, enough votes to win the presidency. you have heard it before & you will hear it again - it is effectively a vote for trump.

we need to do better than trump for our country, for its people, for the courts, for the environment, & ultimately, for the world—including the other countries, budding democracies, policies, & economies that the USA helps to influence & shape.

a leader who has empathy & compassion is much better than one who has none. that is a plus. someone with experience & knowledge of the workings of washington & government. that is better. that is a plus. someone who can unite their base & increase democratic voter turnout-plus.

someone that can provide a boost to dem candidates up & down the ballot. overall, it’s a plus. & every step of the way, we can & will STILL fight. we will leverage. we will influence. we will push for progress & change & keep pushing to the left, for a better country & world.

& i will say this about the allegation against biden. i think it is valid & should absolutely be acknowledged & properly investigated to the full capacity. but bear w/ me 4 another not hot take - i do not necessarily think it should automatically be treated as truth