Voting For the Lesser of Two Evils

I know that there is a great excitement going on across the country. This very evening. Right now.

Barack Obama has just accepted the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.

My enthusiasm is decidely lacking.

***

Last year around this time, gearing up to primary season & all the debate over who it should be, I was remaining ambivalent about the Democratic options.

Sure, there were epic options. There could be the first woman. Or the first black man. But I was unimpressed with all, & figured that they would have plenty of time to convince me that they were right for this country & would therefore earn my vote.

Later, when it narrowed down to Hillary & Obama, I started to lean towards Obama. The effect that he had had on the people of my generation was staggering, & I was hoping to support him & that he in turn would not let us down.


But he's failed me.

And the votes haven't even been cast yet.


So I wanted to take this moment to say that as much as I would like to the contrary, I will not be voting for Obama in the November 2008 election. I feel that he is lying when he talks about ending the war in Iraq because even though he plans to withdraw the troops from Iraq, many of them will just be restationed elsewhere (read: starting in Afghanistan). That is not the result we need. And I do not like his refusal to take military intervention off the table in regards to Iran. And I do not like his blind support in the Israeli government.

Due to all of this, I cannot in good faith vote for Barack Obama & still believe in myself.

I will not be voting for the lesser of two evils.

And I will mourn the weight on my heart of this disappointment.