Why America Must Face Its Reflection

This election wasn’t about partisan loyalty for me—it was about strategy, truth, and a deliberate refusal to maintain a broken system. For years, I voted Democrat, believing that incremental change was better than none. But after decades of watching both major parties slap Band-Aids on deep wounds, I made a different choice.

I voted third-party.

Not because I didn’t care about the outcome. Not because I was disillusioned with voting. But because I believe it’s time for America to finally face its reflection.

For too long, this country has refused to confront its ugliest truths—racism, misogyny, classism, and hatred. These issues simmer beneath the surface, creating divisions that are tearing us apart. And year after year, we avoid dealing with them by electing leaders who promise “normalcy” while delivering policies that fail to address the rot at our core. This year, I chose not to participate in that cycle.

A Vote for Reflection, Not Comfort

America’s political system thrives on fear. Democrats tell us we must vote for them to prevent the worst. Republicans weaponize hatred to stoke division. And while we play ping-pong with power, the root causes of our suffering remain unexamined.

So let me be clear — my vote wasn’t a protest. It was a demand for America to stop hiding from itself.

There are people in this country who openly call for a version of America steeped in bigotry and division—one that thrives on exclusion and economic cruelty. They romanticize a past that never existed, a past where suffering was invisible to them because it was borne by others.

Well, I say it’s time for them to see it. To live it.

If you believe an America without immigrants, diversity, or inclusion is better, then let’s show you what that looks like. If you think a country built on exploiting workers will thrive, let’s test your theory. You don’t understand the cost of these ideas until you’re forced to live with their consequences.

That’s why I voted the way I did. Because we can’t keep pretending that progress can come without confrontation.

A Country in Crisis Needs to Feel the Crisis

The truth is, we are a nation in crisis. Politically, socially, economically—we’re unraveling. But here’s the thing about crises—they only get resolved when they’re fully exposed.

For years, America has avoided the hard conversations. Instead, we’ve thrown Band-Aids on bullet wounds, hoping time would heal them. But the issues haven’t gone away. They’ve metastasized. Racism is thriving. The working class is suffocating. And hatred isn’t just tolerated—it’s celebrated in some corners.

This isn’t sustainable.

We need to feel the weight of what we’ve been avoiding. We need to see what happens when policies that harm immigrants, workers, and marginalized communities come home to roost. We need to stop running from the reality of who we’ve become.

The people who voted for a more exclusionary America need to experience the consequences of that choice. They need to feel the economic and social pain they’ve been so quick to justify for others. Only then will they understand that the America they think they want is not the America they—or anyone else—can live in.

This Is a Hard Reset, Not a Surrender

For those of you who are afraid of what comes next, I get it. The fear is real. But here’s the thing—this isn’t surrender. This is strategy.

Sometimes you need to hit rock bottom before you can climb back up. Sometimes the only way to heal is to let the wound be exposed. I’m not saying the next few years will be easy—they won’t be. But this isn’t about short-term comfort. It’s about long-term transformation.

We have to stop pretending that we can heal this country without addressing its core issues. We have to confront our systems of oppression, our economic exploitation, and our collective fear of change. That starts with showing America the consequences of its choices.

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What comes Next?

America is at a crossroads, and my vote was a call to action, not a cry for help. I want this country to face itself, to see what happens when the rhetoric of hatred and exclusion is put into practice. Only then will we have the clarity and courage to fight for the country we truly deserve.

This election wasn’t about giving up—it was about finally waking up.

So for everyone who’s scared, for everyone who feels like this is the end—it’s not. It’s the beginning. But beginnings are hard. And sometimes they require us to face the ugliest parts of ourselves before we can move forward.

It’s time for America to face its reflection. Only then can we begin to heal.