After I teach in the morning, I'm headed straight to the polls and praying that there will be no trouble about it. Four years ago, I early voted in Iowa. I proudly cast my vote in a state I wasn't so sure saw politics the way I did; yet, not only did I witness the mid-western state swing toward our current President, I witnessed the power of a nation galvanized for change. My fingers are crossed and I'm saying my prayers tonight, that we will see a repeat tomorrow.
The directive from both sides of our political system has been clear: VOTE. It seems to be the only thing that we can all agree on. So I say to you all: VOTE.
Melissa Harris-Perry on her Sunday morning MSNBC "Footnote" segment this weekend summed up why I vote more eloquently than I could ever put it, so I'll let her explain:
But I'll add this: VOTE OBAMA.
As a black woman, I share Harris-Perry's sentiments that the best way to demonstrate my American citizenship is to vote. Too many people who shared the same brown skin as I, and were born with the same body parts as I, struggled, fought and died in the name of enfranchisement, for me not to. But when I go to the polls, it is not just about exercising my most basic civil liberty as a citizen of the United States. It is also about protecting and preserving my civil liberties which are being threatened everyday with the patriarchy, classism, racism, ageism, ableism, religious conservatism (that has NOTHING to do with God) and domestic terrorism that the Republican party has come to represent.
Has our President been a perfect leader? No. Are all Republican leaders the devil? No.
But what I know for sure is that under President Obama's leadership my right to be who I am and lead the life that I live will not only be protected and preserved, but facilitated. My ability to be a young, healthy, single (but able to marry whomever I want, if I want), childless if I choose, working in the career I want, highly educated, financially sustained artist, woman, living in New York City, who values family, friends, community, justice, peace and the pursuit of happiness FLOURISHES under President Obama.
His stance on the issues is clear. And perhaps, just maybe, I have drunk a little too much of the political propaganda kool-aid.. but I do believe Obama has every American's best interest at heart.
No comments:
Post a Comment