Why I Am Voting for "That One"

At one point, I was a default Republican. Growing up in Oklahoma during the 1990's, it was a place relatively devoid of ethnic or political diversity. Elections consisted of a choice between a Republican and the "godless liberal." There were two kinds of political conversations, pro-Republican or anti-Democrat.

Through various organizations, I had the opportunity to come in contact with those less fortunate than myself: the downtrodden, mentally ill, elderly and the forgotten members of our society. People, who without help, faced a lonely, wretched existence. There were the single mothers who worked multiple jobs trying to make ends meet and could not come close. There were kids supporting their siblings, missing school to work full-time jobs because Mom and/or Dad were too strung out to buy groceries. Disabled veterans, scarred by the destruction and death they had seen, incapable of making it through the day and tossed aside by the country they served. Elderly Americans living in homes with no family, who would cry when we arrived and were almost hysterical when we had to leave. The radio talking heads told me that these individuals were lazy, did not want to work and born with the exact same opportunities as every other American. Overweight, caucasian, blue-blooded politicians told me that they just needed to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, noting that if they could do it (with their family money and Ivy League educations) anyone could. Something did not compute. I knew some people chose to abuse the system, but to eliminate hand-ups and assistance to those in need because of the sins of others was just not American.

I was transformed. I am no longer a cynic. I believe in the inherent goodness of people. I believe within most, there is a longing for something better and a desire to achieve. As Americans, we root for the underdog and can never forget that this country was once an underdog. I believe that no American should have to choose between life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And Barack Obama subscribes to this worldview. He believes in rewarding success and talent while remaining human enough to remember the back on which corporate empires are built. I believe in the American success story that is Obama. The product of a 19-year-old mother, whose husband left when Barack was only two. A mixed race boy born into a less than perfect situation. They did not have much money but provided love, education and hope. Obama attended Harvard Law School and was elected the first black president of the Harvard Law Review before returning to Chicago to practice civil rights law and teach the Constitution at the University of Chicago. Now, this man of humble beginnings is favored to be the first black President of the United States of America. Obama knows about life for the average American, and he can relate to the struggles and hardships of the middle class.