The Audacity to Vote

Recently, I have been watching everything politics. Whether it be on conservative talk radio or on national news stations like CNN and MSNBC. I admit while I have always voted in every election, local and national. I find myself infatuated with the political process right now. Like many people, the main reason is the possibility of change. The last eight years have been particularly draining and people are tired. Also, its the chance to make history. For the first time ever in the America's 200+ years a black man and a women are the democratic front-runners for President. 2008 could be the year that America shows that it is ready to move past the inherent problems of race and gender that have ruled in this country for decades. While everyone tries to make race a non-issue, I will bring it to the forefront. Race has been and always will be an issue, the only difference is how much of an issue.

The strange thing is that a lot of Obama's most fierce opposers have been black people. The first time that we have a chance to have a man of any color other than white as the leader of the free world, and his opposers "use the same comb" as the saying goes. It seems to be a generational difference, with older blacks backing Clinton and younger blacks backing Obama. I know that Bill Clinton has been called "the first black president" a distinction that I detest because he is not a black man. That distinction is born of stereotypes and generalizations. Finding its roots in an argument that to be black you must speak jive, dance well, play a saxophone, cheat on your wife, smoke marijuana and lie? What does the successes and failures of the former president have to do with his wife. The first lady can't veto a bill, OK a war, oversee the economy etc. I say this not to tell you who to vote for but to open your eyes to the reality of the situation. Does eight years as the first lady count as experience?

Some of the same people who are going to vote for Clinton because she is a Clinton, are the same people who don't want you to vote for Obama "simply" because he is black. I ask what is wrong with support. The funny thing is if we don't vote for him the headlines will read "Black Voters don't back Black Candidate" but if we do, it's "simply" because he is black. Plenty of white people won't vote for him "simply" because he's black. Just like millions of women may vote for Hillary "simply" because she is a women. An interesting question is how many black people are not voting for Obama because they have been conditioned, for decades, to believe that a black man can't handle a job of this magnitude?

People, white black purple and green can vote for who they want, but if it's OK for anyone else to find something in common with a candidate and back them, then as a black person you can vote for Obama "simply" because he's black. Logically, a black man would look out for issues that effect the black community more than another candidate. That may not be true, but i sure would like to find out. Things can't get any worse than Bush.

Bottom line, go to the polls and support your candidate, whoever it may be, but don't feel the need to validate your choice with anyone but yourself.