As we approach this critical election, many of us are questioning the direction of our country and how our votes will shape its future. With so many issues on the line — from healthcare and climate change to the war in Gaza and the West Bank — there is much at stake. And with such a dangerous candidate on the ballot, who threatens the very dignity of our democracy, this Editorial Board has chosen to endorse and implore readers to vote for Kamala Harris in the 2024 Presidential Election.
We are aware of Harris’ flaws and recognize the valid criticisms she has faced from the larger Oberlin student body, particularly regarding her stance on the atrocities experienced by Palestinians. Many of us have watched the devastation in Gaza over the past year with deep concern and anger at the United States’ role and leniency for the colonist state of Israel. Harris’ position on this issue has been greatly disappointing, especially her refusal to allow Palestinian speakers at the Democratic National Convention and lack of conviction in placing an arms embargo on Israel. This stance alone could jeopardize her chances of winning the election, and rightly so. This endorsement comes with certain reservations and is the result of ongoing, open discussions among our Editorial Board.
While the Board recognizes the presence of third party presidential candidates and their supporters on this campus, we discourage third party voting on the 2024 presidential ballot.
Third parties play a crucial role in expanding political debate, holding major parties accountable, and representing voices that often go unheard. It also needs to be said that third party voters are often voters from marginalized communities who have been told time and time again to wait before addressing their own struggles and stories — and this Board acknowledges that once again we have failed as a country to prioritize human rights and address our own role in the suffering of so many. To not acknowledge this failure sets us back, and to trivialize voting for third party as “fake radicalism” is ultimately unproductive when discussing the current election process.
This Board believes that a vote for a third party candidate in this election is a vote for Donald Trump. Kamala Harris must win this election.
We believe it is vital not only to address urgent domestic issues, such as protecting reproductive rights, but also to counteract the anti-democratic and dangerous platform of Trump and the Republican Party. Trump’s comments have consistently left the Board shocked and concerned: from the recent June debate, where he suggested Biden should let Netanyahu “finish the job”; the harm Trump enacted against the Springfield Haitian community; and the recently held rally where he allowed Tony Hinchcliffe to call Puerto Rico an ‘island of garbage’ and Rudy Giuliani to claim that Palestinians are ‘taught to kill Americans’ from a young age, Trump is immeasurably more dangerous to our values. Trump’s history of hatred extends far back, including when he took out a full-page ad calling for the death penalty for five boys of color who were victimized by white supremacy and later exonerated. This is a man and a party who would bring hate and suffering not only to our own American communities but to communities everywhere, like those in Palestine and Ukraine. The entire world will suffer under an administration driven by such divisive and oppressive policies. Our Board has watched since our middle school years as Trump has divided our country, leading a campaign fueled by hatred and upholding systematic racism and unbridled capitalism. The Democratic Party has inherent flaws, as it is rooted within a colonial institution, but we feel that voting for a third party as it currently operates within our democratic system won’t address the deeper systemic issues that go beyond this presidential election. However, Trump’s administration would likely worsen these issues.
We endorse Harris because we feel that her administration will fight to preserve the liberties and privileges that we currently hold and will fight to restore those lost under Trump’s past administration. Voting for Harris is keeping us and our ability to challenge our political parties, both Democratic and Republican, safe. Harris has never threatened to take away our ability to protest, using our voices and participating in our democracy that opens doors for change both in and outside of our country. Trump has made abundantly clear, from Jan. 6 to his encouragement of restrictive protest laws, that he has no intention of protecting the democratic principles that are crucial to moving forward and not sliding backward.
Outside of the presidential election, the Board also stresses the importance of researching and voting on other crucial candidates and issues on the ballot. The presidency is one of many avenues to impact our communities, like local laws, school funding and more. For example, on the Ohio ballot, we encourage our readers to vote “yes” on Issue 1. Voting “yes” would create a 15-member redistricting commission who fight gerrymandering and represent different demographics and geographic areas. The race for Ohio Supreme Court will have a huge impact on the state, and currently, there is a 4–3 Republican majority. Engaging with these issues creates empowered voters to make informed decisions at the polls. Informed decisions change our country. Students and community members will be able to vote from 6:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5. OC votes will also be tabling in Mary Church Terrell Main library from 8:30 a.m.– 5 p.m. Please remember to bring an Ohio ID (for students out of state a passport is required) and know your registration address.
