Sand Empires

I appreciate people who are willing to draw a line in the sand. We should all stand for something. Having strong convictions is to take pride in life. But it's important to clarify weather we're making a stance for life or for simple pride.

It's easy to rail against our political system. The more conservative among us good-ole-days the 50's, while the more left-leaning groups romanticize Europe - but neither of these examples are without their own unique set of flaws.

Many of our friends are taking a stance this election. We feel disenfranchised. Our vote and voice don't seem to matter. Every year it's the same 'ole two party option. Taking a stance is a good thing. But if you're drawing a line in the sand for this November's presidential elections, chances are you've missed your mile-marker by, like, acres.

Drawing a line in the sand for the general elections and going for a third party vote at the last minute is like doing a handful of pushups then demanding a spot in the Supebowl.

There are a million ways to get involved in our political system. I, for example, was among the original co-founding group that formed the Iranian-American Democrats of San Diego, back when the Iranian-American community was mostly Republican. (My claim to fame was coming up with the name, mostly, but that was about it.) It's boring shit. You might be given a clipboard or you might work a call-center or your brother might be the first president of the club which leads to the county chair remembering you if only for your funny name. Hypothetically speaking.

You can get involved in community organization. You can start attending weekly meet-ups. You can volunteer for your third party of choice. You can (gasp) run for a local office. You can start a newsletter or a podcast. You can make money and host political fundraisers for candidates you like.

The coming four years are gonna suck regardless. An ugly dam has burst onto our society and it's going to get worse before it gets better. If I was a betting man though, I'd bet we're not gonna have a nuclear holocaust if Trump wins. But the amount of shit he'd get us into would be no picnic either.

You absolutely should draw a line in the sand. The problem is that by voting third party or simply not voting, that's not sand you're attempting to draw a line in - it's concrete. The time to make a stand for this round is long past.

I'll be voting for Hillary. I don't buy into the "this election is too important" line. They've all been important. Everything we've been through has gotten us to this point. Our apathy for the past two decades led us to exactly this mess.

This is politics. There has never been, nor ever will be, a world or society without some sort of political maneuvering to be made. If you don't like it, get involved at the factory, not at the grocery store. Because, after all, it is our damn factory.