Why I Cannot and Will Not Vote for Kamala Harris

As a queer feminist and firm believer in democratic ideals, I cannot, in good conscience, vote for Kamala Harris in this election—or for either major party. This is not an attempt to tell anyone how to vote; to do so would be utterly undemocratic. You have the right to choose your candidate, and I respect that. I expect the same respect in return for my choice. Democracy is built on this very principle: the freedom to choose.

First and foremost, I have sworn my allegiance not to a single nation, but to being a global citizen. Nationalism, to me, is a disease—a narrow lens through which we distort our view of humanity. Let us not forget that the United States as we know it today was founded as a rebellion against imperialism, born out of a dream that dared to imagine something different. How ironic, then, that we have become the very leaders of the imperialist agenda we once fought against.

Some might read my words and assume that I am anti-American. But I wouldn’t spend my free time writing pieces like this if I didn’t have love for this country and believe in the greater dream that I know is possible for all of us. My critiques are not out of disdain, but out of hope for what the USA—and the world—could become. I believe in a future where we no longer have to choose between the prosperity of one nation and the suffering of others. A future where our freedoms do not come at the cost of countless lives abroad.

While the media distracted us with the theatrics of the Republican and Democratic conventions, the current administration quietly approved a $20 billion arms deal, fueling the ongoing atrocities carried out by the U.S. and Israel under the guise of a peace process. Meanwhile, I hear people say, “But the economy is good.” Yet, if that economy thrives on the destruction of hundreds of thousands of lives abroad, is it truly “good”? How many lives are sacrificed each year to sustain this so-called “American Dream”? The U.S. remains the largest arms exporter in the world, benefiting from global conflict while the average American struggles.

At home, over 600,000 people are unhoused. We pay the highest prices for prescription drugs while drowning in medical debt. None of us are guaranteed healthcare, housing, or even basic dignity. Poverty, in America, is criminalized. We incarcerate more people than any other country, and once inside, they become cogs in a corporate machine that profits off their suffering—a modern-day slavery system disguised as “justice.”

The most cost-effective solution to homelessness would require just $11 billion. Instead, this $20 billion arms deal will likely bolster the military-industrial complex, the single largest polluter on the planet. For those of us whose politics center on environmental responsibility, this is unconscionable.

As Americans, we hold our Declaration of Independence as a sacred text, proclaiming that “all men are created equal” and endowed with certain unalienable rights—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Yet, when we look at our foreign policy, particularly in the way we justify wars and interventions overseas, we tell ourselves that these actions are necessary to spread democracy so that others might enjoy the same freedoms we cherish. But does this logic hold?

If we truly believe that all people are created equal, how can we justify a way of life here that comes at the cost of millions of lives abroad? Is it not inherently contradictory to believe in equality while acting as though our lives matter more than the lives of those in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Congo or Sudan? If we are all created equal, then our pursuit of happiness should never come at the cost of another’s basic right to live.

In 2024, we must ask ourselves: Is there not a way to structure our society—one that claims to uphold freedom and equality—so that it does not come at the expense of millions of others? We are capable of creating a system that does not rely on war, exploitation, or the destruction of other nations for our comfort. If we are to honor the spirit of the Declaration of Independence, then we must recognize that spreading “democracy” through violence is not only hypocritical, it is imperialistic. Our lives are not more valuable than anyone else’s, and no version of democracy worth saving can be built on the graves of the innocent.

Our two-party system is broken. The quote, “What if I told you that the left wing and the right wing belong to the same bird?” rings painfully true. In 2025, that bird is flying us toward nuclear war, propping up an imperialist agenda that justifies the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent people in the name of democracy. These are the same systems fueling conflicts in places like Congo and Sudan, toppling governments and replacing them with corrupt regimes that sell out to corporate interests. Since WWII, the U.S. has orchestrated over 80 regime changes. These actions have created the conditions for extremist groups to rise to power, trampled women’s rights, and sparked refugee crises across the globe.

When I vote third-party this year, it is not to be divisive. It is to see through the division and confront a larger truth: as long as we accept the narrative of choosing between “lesser evils,” we will always be left choosing evil. Genocide is my red line. My morality does not allow me to vote for either major party.

I despise everything Trump represents, and I understand the hope that some people felt when Kamala Harris became the Democratic candidate. But I cannot share that hope. The Democratic and Republican parties offer false promises on a faux-gold platter, knowing that many desperate Americans will take the bait. I refuse to perpetuate this illusion.

Both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are funded by AIPAC, a lobby founded to defend Israeli atrocities and push for U.S. involvement in conflicts like the Iraq War. AIPAC has already poured nearly $19 million into U.S. politics, with over $16 million going to Democrats. When it costs hundreds of millions of dollars to run for president, we no longer live in a true democracy. Our politicians serve those who pay them the most, not the working-class people like you and me, and certainly not the planet.

The time to carve a new path is now. Climate catastrophe cannot wait. The people of Gaza and the West Bank cannot wait. The blood of 4.5 million lives lost in the “war on terror” stains our hands. The U.S. is responsible for countless tragedies worldwide, all in the name of spreading “democracy.” But what have we really accomplished? Has the world grown freer? Or are we simply exporting imperialism under the banner of democracy?

We must be careful when we say, “We must save democracy,” as if voting Democratic will somehow absolve us of responsibility. I am not interested in saving imperialism, nor do I wish to spread democracy to the world when we ourselves do not benefit from it here at home.

The victims of U.S. imperialism deserve to live their lives, just as we, the people of this country, deserve more. But America has a reckoning coming. And though I want a better future for all of us, the world often follows the example set by the U.S. It is our responsibility to set a higher standard—one that invests in people over profit, de-escalates violence, and shifts resources from the military-industrial complex toward education, healthcare, and sustainability.

This is about survival—yours, mine, and future generations’. Let us dare to dream beyond the binary.

I understand why so many feel compelled to vote for the lesser evil. Trust me, I get it—everything feels like it’s on the line. The urgency is overwhelming, and the system leaves little room for third-party candidates to gain real traction in the short term. People fear that voting outside the two-party system will only empower the worst possible outcome. But we must also consider what could be lost by continuing to play this game of “lesser evil.”

I know what’s at stake, and I don’t take that lightly. But I also know what’s truly at risk if we continue to accept a system that perpetuates war, exploitation, and genocide in our name, with our tax dollars. That’s a price I’m unwilling to pay. I cannot, in good conscience, vote for genocide maniacs—regardless of which side they’re on. We must dare to imagine something better. I believe we can create a future where we no longer have to choose between evils, maybe not this time around, but one day- we shall, and I'm willing to start carving a new way today, and I'm disappointed I didn't start a long time ago.

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Cover image is an edited Shepard Fairey poster found on Jill Stein's IG

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