Monday, October 27, 2008

Eight Days to Change the World!

On Saturday, I voted early. It meant so much to me to cast my vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden that I actually teared up. I've been a Barack supporter since the day he announced his candidacy. In fact, I've been watching him since he gave the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

Since April, I've volunteered five to twenty hours of my personal time each week. I've donated my personal money. It's been a long, tumultuous journey and it's finally coming to a close.

I know most of my family and friends think I'm crazy or at the very least, overzealous! However, I believe so strongly that Barack Obama is the person who is best-equipped to lead our country, I'm willing to give as much of my personal time as it takes. In fact, on the days leading up to election, I'll be spending about 12 hours a day on this campaign. And, I'm honored to be part of it - to be part of history.

I hope that America will wise up and elect Barack, who best represents the change we need in this country, instead of focusing on minor issues. We need someone who can build consensus with world leaders and within our own divided country.

I'll leave you with the portion of Barack's 2004 speech that cemented my support. I think it holds true today, too:

Well, I say to them tonight, there is not a liberal America and a conservative America — there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America — there’s the United States of America.

The pundits, the pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States or Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I’ve got news for them, too:


We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don’t like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the Red States.

We coach Little League in the Blue States and yes, we’ve got some gay friends in the Red States.

There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and there are patriots who supported the war in Iraq.

We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.

In the end, that’s what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or do we participate in a politics of hope?

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