Sitting on my couch Friday afternoon, I got the flurry of the usual alerts from CNN, Fox, etc. that arrive when Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump says or does something outrageous.
I opened a new tab in my browser, went to the Washington Post, and watched the leaked video of Trump on a bus before an Access Hollywood taping with former host Billy Bush in 2005.
Listening to it, I was absolutely horrified. A grown man running for president of the greatest superpower in the world described violating women against their will. I know he may not have actually raped or sexually assaulted a woman, but he joked about a physical attack against another human being in the same tone that he would when talk about what sandwich he may or may not have previously consumed for lunch that day.
Using his own words, Trump lost the respect of many in his party and his country. He disregarded violence as "locker room talk" and showed the American people that he cannot be the leader of our nation.
With his own words, he proves to us that he cannot be a just and stable leader. He proves that he does not care about the family. He proves that he does not care about the law.
As a conservative, I believe in the strength of the American family. Thinking of my mother, sister-in-law, future daughter and myself, I would never want them to be in a country led by a man who believes that women are playthings, to be touched and grabbed at any man’s will. Thinking of my father, brother, future husband and future son, I would never allow them to speak about myself or another woman in such a manner. By dehumanizing violence, Trump threw out the family values on which the Republican Party is based.
When speaking about the Hispanic community, the Khan family, the Muslim-American community, a Mexican-American judge, and more, Trump proved to the American people that he is unfit to be our leader. Most recently, he has proved to women that he does not respect their privacy. He has proven to the Republican Party that he is not worthy of our support.
While I will not support Secretary Hillary Clinton in this election either because I cannot and will not support her big-government policies that steal from the American worker, to the conservatives still considering a vote for Trump, I say this: think about your values, your positions, your own future, and the future of your children. The person presented to us this election cycle has shown no respect for these key values, and I don't anticipate him changing any positions. I know you are scared for the future, as I am, but I encourage you to vote with your conscience and think about what kind of future you want for America.
I suggest protecting down ballot candidates and ensuring the Republican majorities in Congress so there can be some balance, and that you consider third party candidates. However, if you decide to vote for Trump, I do not shame you. This election is difficult, and I do not blame you for voting for change, but I do not believe the change America needs can be found in Trump.
We are a great nation full of diverse people, and we have great powers as a people through our Constitution and Bill of Rights. We must think of those when voting.
As a conservative, libertarian, Hispanic woman with deeply held values in the free market and principles of liberty, I cannot - and will not - in good conscience vote for Donald Trump this November.
Krista Chavez is a junior in the School of Public Affairs and a columnist for The Eagle.
