I identify as a gay man. Which naturally leaves me traditionally more Democratic. But in reality I am also a felon and we all know that Mr. Clinton caused one of the biggest mass incarcerations of US history. Which we are now still trying to undo.
As a felon I recognize there are two kinds of inmates. Those who want to change and those who don't. Its easy to identify them. One clicks up and becomes a gang member and rages against the system and follows the prison politic system (which is following segregation and establishing hierarchy by charges, where murder is the most respected and sex crimes are the least). The other does things to improve himself and those around him. They tend to become known quickly, either way.
Some need to be in prison because they don't want to change, therefore they are still dangers to society. Some can be let out though, in fact many can. Right now were letting out the wrong ones. The repeat offenders are drug addicts. Clogging up the system. So many get released every year and the numbers are jaded as a result. That's how truly rehabilitated men get passed up for parole. Why let him out when we just let out 2000 men this year. Sounds good until you look at the recidivism rate of their crimes. out of 2000 drug offenders the national average says that roughly 65% are coming back. That means 1300 more crimes and even more importantly, 1300 more victims.
So that's my fear on Mrs. Clinton being elected. My fear on Trump being elected is reversing equal rights movements. Specifically the LGBT+ movement, which includes gay marriage equality and transgender bathroom use rights, to name a few things. Trump appears to sympathize with extremism, no matter the cause. He had skin heads or Nazi sympathizers working his campaign in the Carolina's and has commented at least once in reversing our marriage equality law. This is intolerable. We won't even talk about his refusal to denounce the KKK support. Still.
I am hard pressed. Where so many of the LGBT+ community are already voting Democratic as fast as possible I am still unsure. I don't have the right to vote, that was taken away from me. But I do have the right to weigh in. Bes believe I will, and am.
My heart tells me that even though I want mass incarceration to end and I want society to see the good men and women who come out of here and the beautiful things they've done, Clinton will protect the rights of LGBT equality becaude her party has taken that political stance. Where as Republican officials hide behind a book someone else interpreted for them (the Bible) and stand behind Puritanical rules that they themselves can't follow.
I am devoutly Christian, but even I see the irrationality of their protecting the right to discriminate. Even if Trump was Pro-gay and a friend of LGBT, his party will inevitably demand he follow traditional Republican views.
So sad Trump, we could have been great together but your narrow minded views on minorities isolates you from all of us. You did that yourself. When a civil rights war is still raging on you must know what side of the "wall" you need to be on.
With Love
Jeff Utnage
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