[Baltimore Sun] When it’s time to vote, do the right (non-shameful) thing | READER COMMENTARY
My friend and colleague Richard E. Vatz rightly questions why we should urge citizens to vote (“Should we really urge everyone to vote?” Oct. 28). I would like to add to his advice.
For those of you who have voted or plan to vote, let everyone know who you are voting for and why. There is no reason to hide the your identification with the candidate who shares your values. If you are scared to tell people that you are not voting for former President Donald Trump, that tells you something about who you consider Trump to be — a person to fear.
If you are voting for Trump, remember that, whether he wins or loses, you are very likely to be viewed by others as a person who shares his racist and fascist ideas, most likely for the rest of your life. If you are reluctant to tell others that you are voting for Trump, it is probably due to the shame you experience in relation to who he obviously is. That shame is likely to follow you wherever you go.
Above all, don’t vote for a candidate because someone else tells you to vote for him or her. Listen to the issues and arguments and decide for yourself.
I am proud to be voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. While there are some policy issues over which we certain disagree, I am moved by Vice President Harris’s integrity and courage, her sincerity and genuine concern for all kinds of people. She radiates good will. Minnesota Governor Walz also impresses me as an honest type of person, someone who could not only lead our country as President in times of trouble, but also as a person people in other countries will respect.
As Spike Lee advises, “do the right thing.” Each person knows what that means. You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.
— Jeffrey A. Schaler, Ph.D., Ellicott City
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