I feel torn today.
I sit here in my living room with a Hillary Rodham Clinton
book that my Great Aunt Muriel gave me in 2003. I never read it because I
wasn’t “into politics” but kept it all of these years because it was a
Christmas gift from a woman in my life who I respected and looked up to.
Ironically, I stored in the pages of this book a bumper sticker I had bought
around the same time. This bumper sticker meant a lot to me because it
expressed the one thing that had meant the most to me in my adolescence, the
one word that I felt was the most important word in my world. Truth. That’s all
it said. It was a white oval about the size of my hand and in grey the word,
“Truth” was centered in it.
Back before we moved here to Loomis St., at the end of April, I did a major clean out. I was getting organized for this move. And as I went through all of my books I flipped through Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton and thought maybe I should read this now that she’s running for President. I looked at some of the pictures, like I have a few times since I’ve had it, and there was my bumper sticker still holding it’s spot in this book. I decided to finally take the bumper sticker out, just in case I decided to get rid of this book instead of reading it. I put the sticker on the inside back cover of my big photo album/scrapbook that holds the collections of my life. I took the “Truth” from Hillary Rodham Clinton, I apologize everyone. Funny though, right? And I ended up keeping the book, thinking maybe I’d read it before the election was over.
I had no interest in the political campaign because I’m not really “into politics”. But I was able to be a registered voter and I got to pick which party I wanted to be a part of. I have wanted to become a Green Party member since the first time I registered to vote in high school. But I didn’t know anyone else who was interested in it and because I wasn’t really “into politics” I just did what I thought most people did and I registered as what my parents were, Democrats. Years later I made the change to Independent, still uncertain about fully trusting my instincts calling me toward the Green Party. Every time I voted, which was every four years for the Presidential Elections, and saw the “Green Party” option I felt the calling to it but every time I still wasn’t “into politics” so I just voted the better option of the two big celebrities we had to choose from and never looked into it or thought about again for another four years.
Still back at the end of April, I’m preparing for this move, my twenty-seventh move. I begin to change my address for all of my online accounts and I decide to get an updated Driver’s License with the new address, which I usually only do when it expires. But I was making this move official. I was prepared, organized, and confident in the change happening. So when I was requesting my new ID online I was prompted with the option to register to vote, which I already was, but instead of just bypassing it I browsed the page and was stopped by the words “Green Party.” And I did it, I clicked “Green Party” and then “Submit”. It wasn’t too long after we moved when I began to follow Jill Stein.
So I have this book looking at me today that was given to me by my beloved aunt who obviously respected Ms. Clinton, but would she still respect her today? I can’t help but wonder what Aunt Muriel would say if I could ask her, “Would you vote for Hillary today?”
And for six months I have continually shared and supported Stein’s ideas and goals. The Green Party’s focus and Jill Stein’s ideas are in line with many of my beliefs. I think it’s time we allow for the larger changes we’re capable of handling as a country united. Focusing on our Earth and learning to truly work together and care for each of our fellow humans, even during our weaknesses, will greatly benefit all of our lives and many future generations.
So as you can see folks, today I am torn.
I’m torn between nostalgia and the years of effort I’m sure Hillary put in toward this dream of hers, I’m torn between that and my true beliefs and vision for the future of our lives.
And like I always say, be the change you wish to see in the world. It can be painful, change always is, but like my bumper sticker suggests, follow your Truth.
I am the Green Party. I always have been and I always will be. And for me, my Truth is the Green Party. And today I’m going to take a stand and follow it through all the way.
It’s time we continue forging this new path. The new path that simply says hey this old path has gotten a little worn, it doesn’t seem to be serving us well. Let’s try a different path. Why not?
