To the Editor:
It’s likely that many of you reading this will disagree with me in several ways, but I think that this will be respectfully done.
It seems to me that the existing framework of a mostly two–party system in the USA is only offering the illusion of choice.
In addition, the personal flaws of both presidential candidates have been glaringly exposed to the world this presidential election season via Wikileaks for Hillary and via a simple examination of the Donald’s mostly unfounded theories and outright lies.
At the surface level, the choice is that of two diametrically opposed leaders who are offering us their solutions, but to me, both candidates are really symptoms of an imbedded problem and they are not providing the solutions for the actual causes.
Furthermore, I think that we are being distracted from what is a more achievable and sustainable answer to the problems by the corporately manipulated media, the lack of publicly funded elections, and the on-going “dumbing down” of society.
Nonetheless, I think that as a nation, we are slowly witnessing a simultaneous undercurrent of a Phoenix-like rebirth that will rise up and create another dynamic of social, economic and environmental justice in our lifetimes. This is real change and not a legalistic “papering-over” or a collection of false hopes espousing hyperbolic solutions. There are actual resolutions to problems that are not driven by narcissism, greed or the lust for power. We just don’t need to live in two different camps this election season or at any time.
For example, progressive political figures like Bernie Sanders, and in upstate New York, candidates like Zephyr Teachout, and Pamilla Malick, are leading the way. They seek to unite all of us instead of pitting us against each other as the Donald does or by Hillary’s cleverly couching her real agenda.
The best outcomes will occur if there is open civil discourse and if cooperation is sought after and, most importantly, if we realize that we must change our ways as a nation and indeed as a world, because Mother Earth is rebelling against the current paradigm.
The clock is ticking and she will no longer tolerate what we are doing to her. That is not an illusion.
Robert Connors
Canaan, New York
