"You know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful... I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait. And when you're a star they let you do it. You can do anything...Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything."
-Donald Trump
U.S. Presidential Nominee
Allow me to make something exceedingly clear:
If you have, in any way, attempted to defend Donald Trump's comments about how he likes to grope women without their consent, I can no longer trust you. If you think that is acceptable behavior, then you have shown me that I am not safe around you. This is particularly true if you are male.
This is about so much more than a political disagreement.
If you are voting for this man after what he said, you ARE condoning his actions. You ARE supporting a system that perpetuates violence against women.
Donald Trump wasn't a hapless teenager when he made those comments. He wasn't saying: "Wouldn't it be fun if I grabbed women without their consent?"
He was saying "Here is a thing I do."
This isn't just about talk. This was him DESCRIBING his OWN ACTIONS.
If you think people are upset about these tapes because of some crude language, you are wrong.
People are upset about the tapes because they feature a PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE detailing the way he takes advantage of actual, living, breathing, human women.
This man DOES NOT represent "family values." He CERTAINLY does not behave in a way that emulates the "light of Christ."
I have a teenage sister. I am terrified by the idea of her coming of age in a society run by this man.
How can you hold your friends, family, or children to any sort of moral standard and then vote for a man whose moral compass is so dangerously skewed?
I am so distraught by what is happening in the evangelical community right now. I see my family and friends abandoning their long-held values in what feels like some Orwellian nightmare.
There's a story in the Bible that I have always found confusing:
All 4 of the canonical gospels recount the story of Barabbas. In the story, Pontius Pilate offers the Jewish people a choice. He will release from custody one of two prisoners: Jesus or Barabbas.
Jesus is accused of blasphemy. Barabbas is a "notorious criminal." Some accounts even call him a murderer.
To me, the choice always seemed rather obvious. Why would the people opt for the release of a repeat offender who may or may not be violent over the release of Jesus--a pacifist preacher who was seemingly well-liked?
The people chose Barabbas.
The religious elite had sown such discontentment among the Jewish people that they opted for the release of a dangerous criminal over a man who, as the story goes, had come to save their souls-- a man who shared many, if not most, of their values.
It seems to me that, at this point, voting for Donald Trump is like requesting the release of Barabbas.
Please do not misunderstand--I am in no way saying that Hillary Clinton is analogous to Jesus Christ. She is a human. She is flawed. She has made mistakes. There is no comparison.
But the reality is that a vote for Donald Trump is not a vote to preserve or protect your values. Voting for Donald Trump is a betrayal of your own beliefs, the same way demanding the release of Barabbas was a betrayal.
Donald Trump is not a Christian. If you believe he is, then you have been fooled. Donald Trump has publicly stated that he has never prayed to God for forgiveness. He does not feel it is necessary. Donald Trump uses language that would never have been allowed in my Christian household. Donald Trump regularly talks about women in a foul, degrading manner. Donald Trump does not believe in helping the less fortunate--if he did, he would have paid his fair share of taxes to contribute to the greater good. Donald Trump regularly lies, cheats, and steals. Every time he refuses to pay someone for their services, he is stealing from them. He has been married 3 times. He has been openly adulterous. The list goes on and on.
Do you really think, after all of those things, that he embodies your values?
He flippantly admitted to sexually assaulting women.
I hope I don't have to explain that grabbing someone's genitals without their consent is sexual assault. It is criminal.
Your presidential candidate admitted to a sex crime on tape.
And you're making excuses.
There are no excuses.
I know everyone wants to compare Trump's behavior to Bill Clinton's. You may do so if you feel so inclined. But it doesn't change the fact that Bill Clinton is not running for president. It doesn't change the fact that all of the supposed examples of Hillary mistreating women are unsubstantiated hearsay. It doesn't change the fact that Hillary Clinton defended a child rapist because it was her JOB. Because she was a LAWYER.
If you are only voting for Trump because Hillary Clinton is pro-choice, you need to rethink your priorities. If you are willing to abandon the majority of your values over ONE issue, you are squandering your right to vote out of fear (and out of a lack of understanding of how checks and balances work).
You don't have to vote for Hillary. You don't. You also don't have to vote for Trump. You don't have to vote at all, actually. Is a vote for Trump a vote you can really be proud of? If Jesus Christ himself came back tomorrow, would you be able to defend your vote to him?
Is Trump the candidate you think best represents your values?
If so, I have a lot of questions about your character. You should, too. 