Last night was difficult for a variety of reasons.  Chief among them is the realization that our pursuit of racial equality and police demilitarization will be even more challenging as a result. Many individuals have immediately chosen to blame the organizers and activists of the peaceful protests, here in Texas, and across the nation. The Green Party does not support violent methods of political expression, but we need to remember that the blame falls entirely on our corrupt and racist system and its institutions that terrify, brutalize, and murder people of color, as the recent incidents in Baton Rouge (#AltonSterling) and St. Paul (#PhilandoCastile) illustrate.

The truth is that violence begets violence; centuries of racist tyranny, a lack of police accountability, and the sharp rise of white nationalism begat the violence last night.

In the last week we have received numerous inquiries as to whether one can vote for Green Party candidates this November.  The simple answer is YES YOU CAN!

Last night was disheartening for Americans everywhere; the politics of fear tightened its choke-hold on electoral politics on both sides of the aisle. Within the Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton gained a decisive lead over challenger Bernie Sanders, and Trump's anointment seems inevitable.

Many are now wondering, what should Independents, the ‘Bernie revolution’, and Republicans do?

The answer is to reject both the political machinery acting to sabotage democracy, and the politics of fear leading us all over the cliff and build an independent political network, funded and comprised of normal Americans, for normal Americans.

Here at the Green Party of Texas, we want to send a reminder that the ‘revolution’ is not over, but that it will not come from voting for the Democratic or Republican parties and their establishment candidates in November.  It is time to revolt at the polls - if it didn't matter, then why do they try so hard to keep you away, keep you uninformed about your options, keep options off the ballot?

For all the frustrated and concerned voters and non-voters out there, we welcome you to become part of our independent political network for 2016 and beyond.

Whether you vote for Green Presidential front-runner Jill Stein or any of our other excellent Presidential candidates this primary season, feel safe knowing that we are real people, people without the financial support of billionaires and corporations.

If you want to make a difference in 2016, vote for your values, not your fear. Join us in the Green community to make our country sustainable for the future generations.

It’s in your hands!

(Find out more about the five Green Party presidential candidates here: Jill Stein, William Kreml, Kent Mesplay, Darryl Cherney, and Sedinam Kinamo Christin Moyowasifza Curry.)