Don't Obey In Advance

Or, Why I'm Voting for Kamala Harris

Note: this is the sixty in a series of editorial observations and writing advice garnered from my time back as a full-time professional editor and writer.

In a Zoom call with Authors Against Book Bans, co-founder Maggie Takuta-Hall warned against writing out of fear over how some might react to our words. “Do not obey in advance,” she said.

Great advice when it comes to silencing those inner voices that tell us that speaking up is bad for business (and it can be!). But as I’ve said a million times: the role of a writer is a prophetic one. We are called to speak up and speak out. Even when it costs us. Especially when it costs us.

And don’t get me wrong: it is scary!

I mean, if billionaires like Jeff Bezos are afraid of Trump’s political repercussions, how should I feel? 

Guess it depends on how mighty I believe my God is and how important our calling as writers (and as Christians!) is.

Guess it depends on whether or not I think it’s okay to stand idly by in the face of cruelty and injustice or stay silent while others laugh and mock, oppress and hate.

Well, I’ve got a mighty, mighty God; a high and holy calling; and an inability to sit still or stand by.

Here’s what I’ve got to say:

A front yard tells a lot about a person. Right now, you could look at mine and rightly guess I’ve been putting off repainting our porch railing for about—OH—a decade. Mine tells you I love Halloween, my kids’ colleges (Go Blue! Go Bluejays!), and my queer friends, neighbors, and passersby. 

It also tells who I support for president: Kamala Harris, of course.

It’s not “of course” because I’m so True Blue in the Democratic sense. Lately, I vote Democrat because I’m a thinking, freedom-loving, government-over-reach-hating American like I am a thinking, Jesus-loving, Spirit-following Christian. 

Kamala Harris is not a perfect candidate. I disagree with her and other Democrats on plenty of things. (And contrary to what an elder at my former church warned me: my fondness for Liberation Theology has not turned me into a socialist. Goodness gracious.) 

But that’s okay, because unlike voters with Trump-shaped holes in their hearts, I don’t look at politicians as my personal lords and saviors. In fact, I always vote with skepticism and distrust.

So, it’s “of course” because I love my children, my family, my friends, and my neighbors—no matter who they love. Because I value freedom and equity. Because I support reproductive rights. Because I believe immigrants—and various races and languages and religions and perspectives—nourish the blood of this nation. Because I believe no matter who we are, where we are from, or how and when we got here, we bear the image of God and are worthy of dignity and respect.

Because I paid attention in history class and used to wonder how people could be so weak and roll over for totalitarians. Because I listen to family members who have lived under dictators. Because I read and watch and think critically. Because I take seriously the cruel and alarming and racist and sexist speech that comes out of the mouths of Trump, Vance, and their supporters and feel the chills when people (especially “Christians”) cheer this on.

Because I am a big-hearted, open- (and sharp-) minded, small-government libertarian at heart. Because I believe in free speech and the free press. Because the idea of a dictator-wanna-be president turning the military on rights-exercising Americans horrifies me.

Because I love this imperfect country.*

And after all this, even after watching fellow countryfolk support this other-hating,** sore-losing, insurrection-inciting, Hilter-admiring, p****-grabbing, misogynistic racist r*pist, I have hope that we can and will do better. That one day will we have liberty and justice for all. Finally.

In the meantime, may God have mercy on us all.

Peace. 

*I could write all day about the reasons I would never vote for Trump or Vance. A family friend once said, “I’d rather see Satan win than the Minnesota Vikings.” I think about that a lot in this election.

** My dear Trump supporters: one day you will be the other. You probably are today, actually.