Letter: It's your conscience. It's your vote

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

I was dismayed to read the July 22 Salt Lake Tribune article, "Utahns may not like Trump, but they'll vote for him."

If people feel, as state Sen. Todd Weiler put it, that "Trump doesn't have the character I want my kids looking up to in a president," then we can show our kids an example of true character by not voting for Donald Trump.

This does not mean that you have to vote for Hillary Clinton. There are other names on the ballot, like the Libertarian Gary Johnson. Or you can write in someone that you really feel is worthy of your vote, be it Ted Cruz or Mitt Romney or whoever. You do not have to reward Trump and the RNC, about which Sen. Mike Lee said, "I can't fathom what they are thinking," by denying delegates their real voices and capitulating to Trump.You do not have to submit to the group-think that tries to boo someone off the stage for saying that you should "vote your conscience."

Sometimes it takes a great deal of moral courage to follow your conscience. Especially if the majority doesn't do the same. But it is times like that when we really show what we're made of.

You don't have to have your vote for Donald Trump on your conscience for the rest of your life. It is your conscience. It is your vote.

Craig D. Thulin

Orem