I have two big buttons sitting on my desk. "Big government sucks" adorns one red-white-and-blue bauble, and another features a small turtle asking passersby to "save the baby humans." These two buttons reflect the core of my political beliefs: big bureaucracy is a big failure and abortion is evil.
The 2016 election developed along with my political identity. While my parents are both die-hard conservatives and some of my political opinions come from them, most of my beliefs stem from my Catholic faith.
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The core of Catholic faith is the belief that all humans are God's creation and deserve to be treated with dignity. From conception until natural death, Catholics (indeed, all Christians) are called to defend the right to life. Catholics advocate against abortion, euthanasia, human cloning, and embryonic stem cell research. Many Catholics speak out against the death penalty as well.
Basically, we don't believe that humans have the right to decide whether other humans get to live or die.
Neither of the major party candidates appealed to me. Since I cannot support a candidate who supports abortion, Hillary Clinton is easily taken off my list. Although Donald Trump is nominally Pro-Life, his behavior does not reflect someone who believes in the dignity of human life.
While the Catholic Voter Guide is helpful in understanding key issues, the Vatican does not endorse specific candidates. Like many Catholics, I've turned to prayer to help me decide.
Many Catholics are undecided. We feel trapped - a vote for Hillary is a vote for the murder of the unborn, while a vote for Trump is a vote for... well, Trump. While we could vote for a third party, it is commonly said we might as well "throw our votes away." Or, people will claim that third party voters are just taking away votes from a candidate who needs them.
I want to challenge that statement.
All my life people have told me that the right to vote is the most important, most powerful, and most precious right held by the American people. I eagerly looked forward to being eighteen, especially since my first election would be for the President of the United States.
Of course, with my luck, my first election has produced two equally unattractive and despicable options.
After countless hours of researching different candidates' policies and opinions and histories, I came to the conclusion that I could not vote for Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. Neither of them represents what I want my President to be.
I want a President who advocates the Right to Life. I want a President who promotes environmental regulations and green energy. I want a President who wants to significantly decrease the size of the government while promoting policies to stir economic growth and help the poor.
I want someone like Gary Johnson to be president.
When I tell people this, they usually claim I'm a disillusioned millennial. You know what - they're right. I am a disillusioned millennial. I am disgusted that my country of 300 million people produced two awful candidates to vote for.
Why should I be forced to vote for someone I dislike because I dislike the other person more? One should vote for someone because they agree with the candidates' policies and demeanor. I don't agree with all of Johnson's views, but he is a person that believes government needs to be reduced in order to retain freedom. While Johnson does not want to make abortion illegal, but he does not want taxpayers to fund it - a cause I can get behind. He has also advocated against late-term abortions and believes human life begins at conception.
Maybe I'm "throwing away my vote." At least I'm throwing my vote behind a cause I agree with, rather than letting fear decide my vote. I won't let my dislike of one candidate spur a vote for another. I will let my beliefs by my guide.
And my beliefs tell me to vote for Gary Johnson.
While my political identity has been shaped by my family and faith, I realize many people disagree with my views. This is beautiful! This is a sign of a functioning society. My point of writing this article was not to convince people to vote Johnson. I want people my readers to do their research and decide which candidate best supports their views. I don't want anyone to feel forced into voting for someone they dislike because they dislike the other candidate more. I want my readers to vote for who they want to vote for, even if that candidate is not of a major party. I don't want anyone to feel like they're wasting their vote.
So if you're Republican to the core, a Democrat since birth, or leaning a little more Libertarian or Green, vote for who represents your opinions the best.
The only way to throw away your vote is not to vote at all. Do not be afraid to vote your conscience. Proudly stand up for what you believe in, especially on the ballot.
Vote.
If you need help finding out candidate's views, here are some good resources:
