Even though the votes aren't done being tallied (tons of provisional and mail-in ballots still to be counted in California alone), the final outcome doesn't look good for Bernie and may not make a difference. It certainly didn't help that once again there was voter suppression/disenfranchisement coupled with blatant lies and misinformation by the sadly-way-too-influential mainstream media.
No surprises, though; the deck has been stacked against progressive revolution from the get-go. Those in power are never willing to give it up. They will do anything and everything they can to stay in power. And what we want—justice, peace, and equality for all— means the 1% and the political establishment must fall. No duh they're against us. And since they have the power right now, it's easier for them to force the circumstances and conditions that help them stay in power than it is for us to challenge and change the power dynamic. If millions of people weren't left out, Bernie would have won the whole primary by a landslide. That's precisely why both parties do everything they can to ensure low voter turnout. If everyone eligible actually votes, they lose big time.
Losing out now should not be a surprise by any means. But losing the battle doesn't mean we've yet lost the war. Despite what many in the media are saying, Clinton has not mathematically clinched the nomination because Superdelegates can still change sides (highly unlikely that may be). Bernie is still going to the convention to contest and, at the very least, force as much progressive change to the party platform as possible. Not to mention, Clinton is under investigation and might be indicted. So this particular battle is far from over, slim as his chances are.
However, even if Bernie does lose to Clinton and the short-term continues to be business as usual with another corrupt politician who doesn't actually care about us, we still haven't lost the war as long as we continue to fight and make our voices heard. If we stop fighting for what we believe in, then and only then do we lose. But if we keep going, we can still win in the long run. It's not just about the next four years, it's about the rest of our lives and far beyond: the distant hundreds/thousands/millions/billions/trillions of years of the future of our country and humanity. The war for progress continues, and there will be many more battles to fight.
What the continuation of the fight means is up to everyone individually. The only common denominator is continuing to vote for candidates that actually represent you and what you believe in. Beyond that, it's all individual choice. We make ourselves heard with our votes and it's all I ask of anyone. As long as you vote, you're in the fight. Anything beyond that is a bonus. Rally, clamor on social media, write to your representatives, volunteer, debate and discuss with people...they're all great and power to you if you aid the fight with any or all of the above. But if all you do is continue to vote for real progress, that's totally fine.
It's not enough to just keep fighting, though. We have to keep fighting in the right way: respectfully with love and dignity. It's understandable to get angry when so much is at stake. I personally have a history of going nuclear on people over politics (and god knows I have some rather colorful things to say about Clinton). As I've gotten older, I have been and will continue to do my best to stay peaceful, positive, and respectful. If that means keeping my mouth shut because I can't play nice, then so be it. Yelling, insulting, and disrespecting people will not change anything; it will only further entrench and polarize.
If we are to make progress, we have to be civil with and loving of those we disagree with. We have to create and foster real discussion. Progress may be painfully slow, but it does win out bit by bit, piece by piece, person by person. It's a steep uphill battle, for sure, but good things don't come easy and are worth fighting for. No matter what happens in the next month and a half, the fight for progress with continues. We keep going!
To end, I leave you with this from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers:
No comments:
Post a Comment