Why I Won't Vote
By W.E.B. Dubois, The Nation, 20 October 1956

Not only did my ancestors die for the right to vote but I have a duty to do so.

However, I am undecided as to if I will vote in the upcoming Presidential election.

I will not vote for someone I do not support for the sake of beating Trump.

I will not vote for whoever the Democratic nominee is just because the are the Democratic nominee for the sake of winning.

Do we want to win so bad that it costs us our morality?

I sleep so good at night because of the moral choices that I make throughout my day.

And I want that well rest to continue.

There is such a negative connotation with not voting, so let me be clear and reiterate that I am pro voting.

I know there is a microscope on me & my message in TN & beyond so I want to always use my influence in the correct way. But also a moral one.

So before anyone tries to manipulate my words.. I believe we all should exercise our right to vote

But not at the expense of our values.

Biden and Trump both go again my values.

I plan to spend a lot of time, meditating, praying and re reading and deeply studying W. E. B. Dubois’ words on I Won’t Vote” and also the effects + consequences on potentially not voting in this specific election.

Dubois shared similar sentiments on this and I feel so at ease knowing that I am not alone in this rhetoric.

In the words of Dubois, let’s “Stop yelling about a democracy we do not have. Democracy is dead in the United States. Yet there is still nothing to replace real democracy. Drop the chains, then, that bind our brains”

Our oppression is rooted in all things political so unfortunately we have to remain involved in politics to an extent.

But the sooner we realize that all things political will not free us, the sooner we will be closer to liberation.

Although it is extremely important to vote in local and statewide elections, liberation will not be found in the voting booth.

The sooner we put more work into organizing rather than politics, the sooner we will be free.

The ancestors literally died and were killed fighting for the freedoms that we have today.

But I do not believe that my ancestors died for us to have the right to vote for the descendants of the very people that oppressed them in the name of “winning”

Their descendants are utilizing the same tactics.

The oppression just looks and talks differently.

I recently resigned from both of my positions within the Tennessee Young Democrats and The Tennessee Democratic Party because my spirit and morality lead me to do so.

And I will continue to be lead by my conscious.

My political choices are also spiritual.
I will never betray my values for the sake of a political choice.

I will be true to my message.
I will be submissive to my spirit.
I will be obedient to my conscious.

And I will choose morality over surrender, any day.