I live in a blue neighborhood of a blue precinct of a blue city in a blue county in a blue state. As an assigned-female-at-birth nonbinary Jewish lesbian (and, yes nonbinary people can identify as lesbians), I thought that I would stay here. Because I am safe here. And that's not nothin.
But, I am moving to Ohio, a 52/48 red state. I am moving, at least in part, because my vote will matter.
Now, growing up Jewish in the 70s, with grandparents who lost siblings to the Holocaust, I grew up hearing, "Never believe it can't happen again", "Never believe it can't happen here", and, oddly, "Always vote with the Blacks, because the same people who hate Blacks hate Jews; they just don't lie to the Blacks".
I know what's coming. I've been banging the drums since 2016. I could get out. I could have bought a house in Canada as easily as Ohio. But I didn't. Because if fascism comes to America, no place will be safe: the Heritage Foundation has told is that every public school senior will be military-bound; Trump created the first new branch of the Armed Forces since the Army Air Core spun off into its own branch. But Space Corps ensures that we will militarize space. And, then what? Doesn't matter: no place is safe, and there will be nowhere to hide.
I'm not interested in hiding. I'm not interested in running away. I'm moving somewhere where my vote matters. I'm buying a house and diluting Illinois' deep blue hue and propping up Ohio's purple. 1 more vote for Sherrod Brown. 1 more vote for the abortion ballot measure; 1 more vote to rescind Ohio's gerrymander. 1 more vote for Biden in a battleground state.
There is no running away from fascism this time. There is no escape. The American fascists will not stop at America.
This is my country. This is where I will die. But, before I do, I will make sure that my vote gets counted. And I will make sure that my vote counts.
