La Center resident Palmer Davis offers a perspective on the upcoming election
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and do not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com
I am reaching out to undecided voters in this 11th hour. Please consider this testimony before you give up and toss your ballot. You have more choice, and can make more impact, than you might think.
I didn’t vote in 2016. I was a Democrat, in fact, I had campaigned for Bernie (Sanders). I considered Hillary (Clinton) corrupt, and at the time, I didn’t understand the heated emotions surrounding (Donald) Trump. I felt that my choice was forced, and I saw no point in casting a vote.
I am concerned about my fellow Washingtonians who may feel the same way today, particularly considering how heated, even violent, our national dialogue has become this year. How can you tell what is true, anymore? There’s no easy answer. If you watch the news, you are being lied to.
To find the truth on any of these issues and candidates, you have to do your own research, and perhaps harder, be willing to admit you were wrong. I know because my entire life was turned upside down, in the years following the last election, as I confronted this for myself.
Jesus said, “To those who knock, the door will be opened.” This spirit of a “desire to know” must guide one. The truth that I discovered was that most of my foundational values in terms of government and social policy were based on false assumptions and forced tolerance.
By that I mean, I assumed Socialism was the future because I had been told it was. I felt forced to tolerate societal change that I did not, in fact, tolerate at all. Progressive ideology has become a moving goal post you must follow or risk being shamed as “intolerant.” In fact, morality (and sanity) requires the application of discernment: a recognition that some things are harmful, wrong, or untrue.
Liberals these days are told not to apply discernment, or to think for oneself, but to simply accept, accept, accept, each new policy, each new idea, each new revolution. I do not personally advocate that all conservative politicians are more ethical, or that all conservative policies at this moment in time are “right.” I am merely advocating that for those of us in Washington state, we can clearly see the results of liberal ideology. We can see it in our governor’s corruption (research his contract with McKinsey, the corporate consulting firm that helped shape our shutdown policies), in the condition our beautiful Emerald City finds itself, and in the role the state is attempting to take in raising our children (research R-90).
If you do not feel comfortable with this, if somewhere in your mind you are finding a resistance or hesitation to vote in support of these ideas, I am just begging you to reflect and research. There is still time. If the decision you felt you had to make is not resonating with you, you can still make a new decision. Your willingness to do so will open the door to personal discovery and growth. You will then feel ready to cast your vote, not just in this election, but in life. I can promise you, the work and the reflection will be worth it. See you on the other side.
Palmer Davis
La Center
