Cornchrunchie - Cornchrunchie

Iford Manor Gardens, Iford, England by Stacy Cartledge

"I'm sorry," Linus whispered into Arthur's throat, never wanting this moment to end

Arthur held him tighter. "You silly, delightful man. There is nothing to be sorry for. You fought for us. I could never be angry with you for that.

How I cherish you."

Linus felt his heart settle in his chest.

I love them so much, their dynamics and chemistry are everything ⭐️

Meet the best bellhop on Marsyas island or just Chauncey! He is so cheerful and full of energy, that I couldn't contain a smile, while drawing him. He's so adorable 😊

OP is right, of course, in the sense that a lot of voices weren't heard because they didn't vote. And it’s important to remember this and to go vote the next time!

However, equally important in my opinion is the awareness that, in Germany, more voters than ever before went to vote for the European Parliament (64,8 %). And the antidemocratic party still received the second most votes (15,9 %) – a historical high for them.

People who don't vote are not the biggest problem here. Sure, they make the right-wing voters appear louder. But that doesn't take away the true responsibility of the people who are actually willing to support a fascist party. And it doesn't take away their danger. Those people are the problem. And it's too easy to blame the nonvoters for it.

These 15,9 % are voting against democracy. Even if not all of them are fully committed to their party, they’re still accepting the fact that they’re voting for a party made up of people who trivialize the Holocaust. People who are openly racist, homophobic, misogynist, fascist. And I know it sounds utterly pessimistic but I truly believe that this pure willingness is a problem that won’t be resolved only by more people voting.

The uncomfortable truth is: People who didn’t vote this year can still vote for fascists the next. Just because someone didn’t vote doesn’t mean they’re the alleviation we’re hoping for.

For me, this means two things in particular:

Those of us who are already voting against right-wing parties have to keep doing it. We don’t know what the nonvoters would vote for. We don't. But we do know the votes of the people who did vote and we can make sure to keep the far right from any more approval.

Voting isn’t enough. It's necessary but it's not enough. We have to actively work to preserve democratic and human rights. Demonstrate. Discuss. Engage people in politics and keep telling those off who say unacceptable (i.e. fascist) things. Because these things need to stay unacceptable.

In my eyes, the low voter participation is only little reason for comfort, if anything at all. It is, however, reason to be even more outspoken for democratic politics and against right ideologies.

friendly reminder it's not "20% of germany" that voted for fascists, or italians that voted for meloni, or france for the far right

it's 20% of VOTERS

so, once again, i am here telling you ABSTENTIONISM is the problem. and it always fucking is.

people who feel demotivated, underrepresented, or adhere to some purity culture where it's the revolution or nothing.

THAT is the fucking problem. you get your head out of your ass and you fucking vote

Does anybody else see what I see? No? I'm just insane? Yeah, that figures