This afternoon I sat down and started to write an essay for

my FB friends to explain why Hillary is my candidate and why Trump and others are not suitable for office in my opinion. I wrote a couple of paragraphs and burst into tears and ended up abandoning the effort. I felt like I could write a book and it would not but scratch the surface of my feelings and opinions when it comes to what is involved in this election for me.

To me, this election is a choice between two monumental forces. Establishment and change are not good labels for them because what is really being fought for is the right to progress as a society versus being clawed backward into dark ages we thought we had left behind.

I believe that women have agency and the inherent right to chart the courses of their own lives. They are not extensions of their spouses nor are they responsible for the actions and ideas of the men in their lives. I support Hillary's right to chart her own course independently. I also believe that people learn from their experiences and are able to incorporate new knowledge into their decision making processes. We all do it. It is the most basic response of a human organism. We evolve and we need to permit others to do so as well, even Hillary.

I do not believe that the sole credit or blame for what happens in government rests with one person. Responsibility for personal actions is one thing but at a national level there is more than enough blame for systemic ills to spread around. The last eight years demonstrated in sharp relief what happens when the different institutions of government are made to not work together. The GOP has been destroying government since Norquist trotted out his bathtub. We don't need to help them but serve as a restorative force for the good of all.

I also believe that the idea of blowing up the system does nothing more than create chaos and doesn't necessarily give rise to the order you would like to see. Revolutions are not always creative acts from which glorious enlightened civilizations arise. Having survived a revolution, I got to experience firsthand what it is like to have rights stripped away from women and other groups. I don't want to experience this again in life and certainly do not want it to be the experience of others.

Alliances with "oligarchs" will not get rid of oligarchs. Allying with a candidate who openly courts racist groups and promotes mysogeny will not advance civil or human rights. Fears of the other cannot be answered by giving rise to a firmly entrenched theocracy here. Seeking economic and social justice will not be accomplished by expecting progressive reforms from a candidate who lies without shame, commits fraud with impunity, seeks to institutionalize his own privilege while hiding behind the language of populism, and calls for authoritarian strong arming of dissenters and the press. Womens rights will not be advanced by a man who openly disrespects and assaults women and girls. Our national security will be compromised by tearing apart hard won alliances and ceding power to a known adversary. Trump is not an option.

To those on the extreme-yes, extreme-left, who have thrown their support to Trump, I will say this. You have betrayed yourselves and the nation. You will not get the change you seek should Trump be successful. He is neither compassionate or has prosocial plans that would benefit you, your loved ones, the nation, or the planet. You are being played by skillful oligarchs.

I still can't get it all out. I just need to say that I believe that Hillary represents the collective of ideas that will allow us to progress as a society in a very dark time. That we need to unite to drive back the very real evil on the horizon. Playing the game of politics of personal destruction or identity politics plays into their hands. Let's stand together and move forward to build on the rights that have been won over the past century. We cannot afford to go back and there is no need to start from scratch. Reform and build on solid foundations. Don't dismantle the foundation, and don't turn it over to Trump demolition crew.