A few years ago, I developed
a newly invigorated interest in
American politics. Stepping out
into the real world and learning
to be independent during college,
I began looking to the political
system as a way to understand
where the policies come from
that determine whatever benefits
or struggles I come into contact

with. With this previously unknown system before me, I immediately searched for a place within

this realm of politics to plant my
flag. Being from a Detroit family
that made its income from the
auto industry, I had a soft spot for
the blue collar worker of America
and wished to see his or her work

valued and appreciated, no matter their skin color. I developed

a passion that championed hard
work, civility and equality, and
wanted to see legislation reflect

that. Thus, I proudly and feverishly announced to the world that

I was a liberal Democrat.

That was about five years ago.
I started to doubt my decision
and question the American left’s
authenticity to the principles they
claimed to value during the 2016
election, where many a time I
witnessed liberal Democrats talk
down to those very workers that
I thought they were supposed to
defend. Countless times, I saw
people called “racist,” “sexist”
and many other synonyms for
bigot, simply for asking to address
problems of class regardless of
biological traits.

The liberal Democrats began to

address people by their race, gender, sexuality, etc. and ran rhetoric based on solely that, while

refusing to tackle issues head on
and calling any who questioned
them bigots.

They contributed to the division of the country that Donald Trump and the Republicans

capitalized on. I was hoping that
they would be able to see their
mistakes and come back in 2018
with a unifying message and run
campaigns based entirely on
policies that benefited the base
they had abandoned. Boy, was I
wrong. Instead, we have Hillary
Clinton not too long ago saying,

“You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy

what you stand for and what you
care about.” Actually Clinton, yes

we can. It’s what we do in the voting booth; cast a vote peacefully

and civilly. However, your attitude
and the increasing incivility of the
American left, as displayed by the
assault committed on two GOP
candidates in Minnesota, have
convinced me to not vote for a
Democrat anytime soon.

The American left needs to

take a long look in the mirror and discover how it became

the very thing it claims to hate:
intolerance. However, this is not
an endorsement nor suggestion

from me to vote for the Republicans. Even though I think the

party is far more civil currently, I

am at odds with most of their policies on an ideological level. But,

there is still a way for us who find
ourselves politically homeless to
make our voices heard: vote third
party or independent.

I know what you’re thinking,
“It’s a wasted vote.” Far from it.

Each and every vote becomes visible as a statistic on the television

or computer screen as they come
in. During the 2016 election,
Gary Johnson pulled in over four
million votes for the Libertarian
Party, placing them with three
percent of the popular vote. With
just two more percent, Johnson

would have qualified the Libertarian Party to receive federal

funding and force another ideology into the heart of American

politics. This would offer another

perspective for all Americans and

perhaps offer a home to us politically disenfranchised.

Am I saying vote Libertarian?
No. I am saying that the fight for
more perspectives and options
will only exist if we demand it.
Do you support the Green Party?
Then vote for them. Constitution
Party? Mark it on your ballot. For
a healthy democracy, we need as
many options as possible. With
the two-party system only offering

polar opposite policies, we are either being driven apart or entirely

forgotten.

Use your vote to remind the
U.S. government that we are
here. Use your vote to expand
our democracy instead of being
complacent to its divisiveness. By
offering more than two voices, we
can encourage discussion again
and return to civility. That is why
I shall be voting third party these
upcoming midterms: to demand
a broader discussion and call for
civility once more.