Black, White and Green

I know quite a few people that have made a very difficult decision today, who to vote for! Should they vote for who they believe in or should they vote strategically? The underpinning reason is simply "we want the Tories out so feel forced into voting Labour". 

These people have tended to believe in social democratic principles, putting people and the planet before profit. For them to feel forced into voting for a party simply because the alternative is far worse demonstrates that the first past the post system is broken and that this form of democracy is not democratic at all. The major parties should all be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. I'm not placing myself above those that have voted strategically. Sometimes we are forced to do things that don't quite match our principles.

However, I've voted for the Green Party because I fundamentally believe in many of their policies and I refuse to give a mandate to anyone else. 

It's a scary time in the world. Vladimir Putin, a dangerous and egotistical homophobic nationalist is governing over a country with a mandate from Russians larger than the total % of Labour and Tory voters in the UK. The freely elected government of Greece is being bullied by external interests that may ultimately lead to it's downfall......the list goes on.

In such a world, we sometimes need to stand up and do what we believe in, even when it's difficult to do so.We are facing another 5 years of background dealing and power politics in which few of our views are truly represented. Things have changed little since the beginning of humanity much as we like to think we have evolved! 

However, to quote the Dalai Lama "if you think you are too small to make a difference, sleep in a room with a mosquito".  

Change only happens when we stand up and do what we believe in.