We Choose Democracy

If you think this US presidential election is not out of the ordinary, please think again, and think hard about the stakes.

We are a humble online publication, but we were not born yesterday. We serve the Filipino community in the United States, so we share and reflect the experience of being nonwhite immigrants and nonwhite Americans.

We also share the so-called American Dream, which for us means getting a chance at opportunities for a better life in an atmosphere of freedom and in the protective shelter of constitutionally guaranteed democratic rights.

We value being treated equally regardless of race, color or creed. We value being judged by the strength of our character and our contributions to a decent life in a community of rational human beings.

After this election, will we wake up under a longstanding democracy or a dictatorial presidency that could bring a familiar nightmare to us Filipinos? Will the Constitution of the United States and the individual rights it protects prevail? Will the American Dream be just for the self-claimed “real Americans” but not for arbitrarily deemed “others”?

The vitriolic rhetoric against immigrants, the promise of mass deportations, the racist hate, the misogynistic assault on women’s reproductive health and rights, the militaristic threats against “enemies within” – these are signs of an existential moment for American Democracy.

The choice is clear. We choose democratic governance. We choose equal rights. We choose human decency. We choose Kamala Harris for president. We hope you will too. – Positively Filipino Staff & Publisher