Why you should vote for: Hillary Clinton

Justice Gage | Contributing Writer

It’s here. Election Day is officially less than twenty-four hours away. I, however, was lucky enough to have the privilege of voting approximately three weeks early, all thanks to Buena Vista University for bringing satellite absentee voting to campus.

It’s no secret who I voted for; my Facebook posts have all been catered to Hillary or against Trump. Several posts have since been hidden because I have many Trump supporting friends, and I don’t want them to feel like I am attacking them simply for voting for their candidate. I can’t say that my Trump-supporting friends have that same compassion, in fact, many of them repeatedly ask the question “How can you vote for her? How can anyone vote for her?”

So I’m here to tell you exactly why I voted for Hillary Clinton.

First of all, if you are voting simply to block the other party from winning, you are voting wrong. Vote for the candidate whose beliefs, values, and policies most closely align with yours.

Second of all, you need to establish exactly what your beliefs, values, and priorities are in regards to this country. For me, it’s a relatively simple answer – human rights and social issues – but let me break it down for you.

I’m gay (that’s the G in LGBT for those who don’t know). Hillary has been a strong supporter of LGBT+ rights for years now, and I whole-heartedly believe she will do what she can to ensure *I can get married, that I won’t get fired, and that I won’t be forced into conversion therapy.

*side note: these are all things that the Trump/Pence platform is known for supporting.¹

Conservative’s Rebuttal:

Conservatives might argue that Hillary flip-flops to appeal to voters, which might appear to be true. She voiced support for civil unions for the LGBT community beginning in 2000, and in 2013 committed her support to full on same-sex marriage, but some might simply call this, oh I don’t know, changing her mind?² Trump supported Hillary Clinton back in 2012³ as President of the United States and identified himself as a democrat back in 2004⁴. Again, he changed his mind.

I was primarily raised by women as a child. Women have played a huge role in my life, and their equality in the workforce, healthcare, and social construct of America is something I value and expect out of a great country such as ours. Women should not be paid less, women should have complete ownership and control over their bodies, and the fact that 1 out of 6 American women have been the victim of an attempted or complete rape is simply unacceptable.⁵

Conservative’s Rebuttal:

Feminism is a hot topic in the political climate, and it is evident Conservatives have their own views on these issues. They might think the wage gap doesn’t exist because women in their own workplaces are paid equally or more than men. In that case, congratulations – your workplace is making sure that wage gap is closed, but generally speaking, the wage gap is still very present.⁶ Conservatives might also think that abortion is murder (which it very much appears to be), but you aren’t going to stop abortions by overturning Roe v. Wade and making them illegal; if you want to stop abortions, you need to have more prevalent sex education programs and teach boys and men that “no” means “no.” In regards to the rape statistic, conservatives might put the women at fault by asking questions pertaining to their clothing of choice. Again, “no” means “no.”

I have lived in small town Iowa my whole life, but I’ve spent the past four years in the most racially diverse town in the entire state, Storm Lake.⁷ I have felt a safety among these people that I haven’t felt in cities such as Carroll and Pella, both in Iowa. The citizens here are primarily made up of immigrants, and I want to be sure these people are treated fairly regardless of race or immigration status because quite simply, they are human beings too, and every single white person in this country comes from an ancestry of immigration. (The only people that were here before us are currently facing jail time for attempting to protect the sacred land they once called home, before the white folks dropped in, but that’s a separate issue.)

Conservative’s Rebuttal:

I think Trump’s statement about building a wall (and forcing Mexico to pay for it)⁸ says enough about this. Again, every Caucasian person in American came from somewhere else, and we didn’t have a wall to keep us out, we had an ocean – so you can bet these immigrants will find other ways in.

Over that last 4-8 years, American has been severely divided. Abraham Lincoln once stated “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”⁹ Donald Trump further encourages division, fear, and hatred and those who fall into this trap are causing a detriment to this country that they can’t even fathom; I don’t believe they realize it themselves. Hillary Clinton has shown me, and several others hope, and if there’s one thing I’ve taken from the many TV shows, movies, and books I’ve consumed over the years, it’s that hope always prevails. Once the hope is gone, it’s hard to get it back.

Conservative’s Rebuttal:

There really isn’t one. They see their candidate as a symbol of hope, just as I do with Hillary Clinton.

Final Thoughts:

Yes, I understand there are going to be a lot of people who disagree with my thoughts and beliefs, but these are my priorities and they are what pushed my vote for Hillary.

“But what about the emails?! And Benghazi?!”

Accountability, folks. She’s held herself accountable, apologized, and vowed to not make the same mistakes. She wasn’t the only one who had a hand in either of these controversies either, so don’t act like she’s the only one at fault here. People deserve second chances, and I believe the presidency is the perfect platform to prove herself.

Photo by Dee Friesen

Check out opposing opinion – Why you should vote for: Donald Trump