OPINION |
by Curtis D. Vaughn, Springfield
Tonight, to all of you, I write. Terrified. For this nation. Democracy. And for my very own life.
How many of you have ever been told you are going to be murdered, and that a person is handing out permits to do so?
On Monday, candidate Eric Greitens published a video calling for the handing out of RINO hunting permits. What did he mean by this, what was said by this, to whom did he call for hunting permits against fellow Americans? Springfieldians, my take? My take is that Greitens, just called on all of us — you, me, and any opponents to MAGA or him — to generously, be murdered. Democracy itself; vanquished.
Wait, what? Yes, read that line above, one more time. Like you, after watching his video, I was in shock. So much so, I had to leave work early.
This is not ok.
What a week it has been, and a hell of a week it has been to stop drinking. As I write to you this very hour, I’m fighting not drinking a bottle of good wine. I am heartbroken. I am fearful. I am confused, but resolved. There is hope; not much. Yet hope is a’rising — I am here. Join me.
Y’all may not have heard of me, yet. My name is Curtis, and I am located squarely last on the Republican ticket for U.S. Senate. I signed up March 29th standing for an America for all, and against the violence, bigotry, injustice and hatred espoused by the leading candidates. I park cars at Hotel Vandivort, sell alcohol at Brown Derby, am a forever student at most of the colleges in town, and lover of this city, this plateau, and this nation. I have nothing, but a promise for a future with democracy.
I ask all of you, all Missourians, all Ozarkians, to watch Greiten’s latest video. Afterword, process it. If you fear for all of us, join me arm and arm. Stand with me, build up this democracy, and vote Greitens out Aug. 2. Regardless of whomever you are, join me, pick up a Republican ticket, and vote for the last candidate for U.S. Senate.
Things may be OK, but we must make hard choices, we must vote for our very existence. I am on the ballot because I ain't them — I’m here for a future for all of us.
January 6th was not the spear to the heart of this democracy, but rather a splinter. Today, we saw the second splinter fly toward us. All of you, whether you are Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Constitution, Green, or any other party, stand with me arm and arm, August 2nd. Make the choice, pick up a Republican ballot, vote them all out. Vote for democracy — we may not have many elections left. I will face the spear for you, and this nation, to be.
Curtis D. Vaughn is a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.