(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Voting for Decency & Morality [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2024-11-02 I have been in a poker group with 8 other men for many years. It’s a wonderful group of people that I consider my close friends. Of the people in the group, most lean toward the Democratic party for voting, but one is a hardcore Republican. At last night’s poker game, he and I kind of got into it for a few moments because he “only votes on policy,” he says, and then he sounded like a Fox News personality when quoting all the horrible things Harris will bring to the US should she get elected. I brought up morality as my voting factor (at least this cycle), and used Trumps words about blaming the Jews if he loses as an example of how he divides America. He then got animated and told me that Trump would be way better for Israel. I told him this was the offensive, cut off the conversation, and told him I’d email him today to justify my position. He hadn’t heard about Trump talking about blaming the Jews and wanted to know “the context.” Here is my email that I just sent. I thought I’d share because I appreciate the responses from people here at DKos. We don't need to talk endlessly on this topic (have a back and forth) but I do want to get this off my chest. You told me you didn't vote for Trump and I believe you. But to put this in context for you, I have been struggling lately about the thought of people with whom I have a close relationship ...and what I would do if I knew they voted for Trump in this election cycle. There are many reasons why someone will take their singular vote (their democratic voice, if you will) and place it for one candidate over another. And it is their right to make those decisions for whatever reasons they find valid. I would argue that historically, most Americans voted for "the best candidate" and moved on from there. They would be able to vote for a Republican for one office and a Democrat for another office...in the same election. This is how, even in my own extended family (long term Democrats), it doesn't bother me that my father voted for Ronald Reagan, for example. He was the best choice in 1984 as Walter Mondale at best was a wet sandwich. But in 2024, we find ourselves in a different political situation. I'd say the era we're in today is very tribal. People are more likely than ever to vote for, not the "best" candidate, but one that they are loyal to. At least that is true for Trump supporters. It would seem for many of them, he can do no wrong and he will always have their vote. Just last night, he simulated masturbation on a microphone stand and then gave it simulated oral sex. His audience cheered and clapped. Is there no end to his depravity? And this is why I brought up "morality" to you last night when discussing the choosing of a candidate, and why I have been struggling with friends who may have voted for Trump this year. He is a profoundly immoral person and doesn't deserve to even be a contender for the highest, most powerful job in the world, let alone the standard bearer of one of our two cherished political parties. The go-to rebuttal to my position from people who support him is that he is a clown, an entertainer, a shock jock that will say anything, but never mean what he says. "I vote for him because of his policies, not because of him." No...this is not true at all, It may have been once before, but he has clearly shown the world who he is, and he is dangerous. All the tax cuts or abortion policy ideas won't save him for who he is as a man. People who vote for Trump are choosing to put evil into the White House. The topic that brought this conversation to life last night was that of Trump's threat to Jewish Americans specifically. Your response was typical: he'd be better for Israel, so I should support him (not exactly your words, but what you meant). To even think that is a deciding factor for me, because I am Jewish, "is offensive," I said. It is important to say that the American Jew and Israel have a complex and nuanced relationship, and in a room of 10 Jewish Americans, you will get 11 different opinions on what US policy should be. It is also true that historically the Republican party has been "better" for Israel than the Democratic party (at least it's perceived that way) but that isn't true in 2024. It may yet return after Trump and Trumpism has long passed. For now, the Biden policy has been to stand by Israel, and I believe strongly that Harris would continue doing so. I have no problem voting for her on the Israel issue alone. But the concept of voting for Trump and ignoring his immorality weighs heavily on me. His comment that put all American Jews in danger was the following: "If I don't win this election - and the Jewish people would really have a lot to do with that if that happens because if 40%, I mean, 60% of the people are voting for the enemy - Israel, in my opinion, will cease to exist within two years." He said this to a room full of Jewish people, at a Jewish summit addressing the issue of rising antisemitism in the United States and around the world. The assertion of blaming the Jews for his election loss was not lost on the audience. His comments, ironically, were extremely antisemitic and went like wildfire through the national Jewish community. If you're at all confused by what I'm talking about, let me make this simple: His comment divided people into "good Jews" and "bad Jews." This lays the groundwork for a potential election loss that allows his supporters to blame the Jews. This absolutely will lead to more violence against Jewish people. This is one example of how he is dangerous. You can say that that's not what he meant and I would argue that that's what he did, no matter what he meant. Given that every White Supremacist group in America believes Trump is on their side (why wouldn't they with the "good people on both side" and "stand back and stand by" and the eventual assault at the US Capitol led by the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers?), he knows what he is doing. Why is it you see Trump supporters giving the White Power hand signal, including his close advisor Stephen Miller, in his crowds and in his inner circle? Because in Trump, they have a home. If he wins, there is no doubt in my mind he will be harmful to American citizens, including Jewish people. My family are rightly terrified of him regaining office. My sister has two adult children who look latino...because they are. She married (for 34 years, recently divorced) an "illegal" who was born in Guatemala. He got his green card and eventually his citizenship after he got married to her. Both her kids are as American as you and I, yet they fear having to carry their papers around for fear they get scooped up because of the draconian Trump ideas of putting people in camps and then deporting them. Jewish people, like my family, know that it doesn't end with one group. The Holocaust is the most prominent example of "scope creep" when it comes to the otherization of humans. Good Jews versus Bad Jews. If Trump wins, I'm on record as being a "bad Jew" to his followers because I dared speak against Dear Leader. I am at risk. Me. Your friend. So yeah, I get heated up about all of this because it's intensely personal. And amazingly scary. I can't see how anyone can vote for him "on policy" when his character is as broken as what he displays and the words he speaks. He is on the wrong side of decency and morality. That has to matter. Alexander Vindmann famously said in a January 6 hearing, that "in America, right matters." Yes, doing the right thing matters. It's supposed to. But in Trumpworld, it doesn't. Being mean, callous, anti semitic, rude, condescending, offensive, etc, is par for the course. And it is 100% disqualifying for the office of the Presidency. You may not like Kamala Harris, but she won't lead with hatred. The process of healing this nation is ongoing. She has to win in order for it to begin to happen. And if you want the Republican Party back (as I do), you need to help extinguish Trumpism. So it is very easy for me to forgo policy discussions because of what he represents. I don't even think policy matters this election cycle. And I am far from the only one. Hundreds and hundreds of recognizable names within the Republican party this year are disavowing him and throwing their support/endorsement for Harris because of who he is. They say they can stand four years of policy they don't agree with, just to cleanse America from his filth. They are the true patriots right now. Here is an interesting article from US News and World Report that came out last week on why Jewish Americans shouldn't support Donald Trump. Maybe they say it better than me. https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2024-10-28/5-reasons-jewish-voters-should-reject-donald-trump Thanks for letting me vent. Your friend, Ken [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/11/2/2281893/-Voting-for-Decency-amp-Morality?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/