i’m no purist, whatsoever, and i believe in the idea of voting to ‘minimize’ harm & pushing toward progress at a local (and even nat’l) level.

we should totally celebrate the ‘small’ victories. especially for us leftists, who don’t seem to get many of them here, as of late.

but i don’t vote based on social identities or celebrate representation, and you shouldn’t, either.

i believe in focusing on the actions of the people trying to represent us, rather than solely their marginalized identity.

i believe now more than ever, before we vote for anyone, we must ask ourselves, “will this person [help] push forward the envelope to create a better world for everyone?”

we cannot & should not hold individuals (yes, even of marginalized identities) on such a high pedestal, that we forget they’re human, and under capitalistic white supremacy, are just as capable of being pernicious to marginalized people as cis str8 settler men are (+have been).

we must be skeptical of everyone, we be critical of everyone, and we mustn’t allow marginalized identities to allow us to forget this.

with that being said, i didn’t feel ‘happy’ or celebratory after the “progressive” electoral wins yesterday, i’m sorry, i just didn’t.

[also, it’s not necessary a *bad* thing, if you did feel that way.]

but ask yourself why. was is it just because shit has been *that* bad these past 11 months? and you just felt relieved we finally got a win, even if it was just a symbolic one?!

or that these candidates were just the first step to legitimate progressive change, for the near future?

even though, i wasn’t celebratory about the wins, i did think some of the wins (maybe just one or two, lol) were a good sign, though.

i just find it hard to celebrate a settler (who i firmly believe should not occupy political power, at all), proud veteran, socialist or not, winning an electoral, i’m sorry i just can’t buy into the hype.

& i did some reading on danica roem last night, and nothing about her strikes me as legitimately progressive, i just can’t see it.

the thing that bugs me the most were how everyone i’ve seen talking about the election were widely talking about the identities of the winners, but not their actual platforms.

dems (incompetence and all) are most likely going to win in 2018 & 2020 (not b/c they’re good, but b/c repubs are *that* bad).

if we continue focusing on & stanning over identities, rather than actual progressiveness, another barack obama (or hillary) will rise & neoliberalism will live-on.

diversifying oppressive roles under capitalism is not progressive, and it damn sure is not liberation.

so cool, a trans woman & a self-proclaimed socialist won. we prove to the centrists™ that it’s possible, yes. but what’s next?