Why I vote Blue and why I voted Obama

I was raised in a relatively strict Republican household and, naturally, rebelled a bit.  I started out thinking Republicans were the way to go because that's the way we went at home.  In fact, I can remember being a precocious 9- or 10-year-old (read: utterly obnoxious) telling our 40-year-old next door neighbor that her vote for Mondale/Ferraro was a wasted vote.  No, I was not an Alex P. Keaton in training, I just hadn't really thought things through for myself.

Throughout my life, I was raised to respect and love the environment and taught that serving your community was the highest calling you could have.  My parents, particularly my mom, had a great deal of empathy and love for other people and that is something I inherited from them.  While we differ on how to get there, we all generally believe that everyone should have health insurance, that education is of primary importance, and that those that need assistance should get it.  We hold the same core values, but over time, I realized that I didn't hear those values coming from the Republicans the same way my parents did.

When I was a junior in high school, my dad went to war - for the second time in his life.  High school is a tumultuous time for anyone, let alone someone who has just moved across the country to start at a new school, once again as the new kid.  And having a loved one in war is horrifying.  Granted, the Persian Gulf War wasn't the utter nightmare this one has turned out to be, but it was also not without its casualties, and not without its nights of fear that you might not see your family member again.  All of these destabilizing elements caused me to take a good, solid look at what I believed in and how I thought we could get to a better place.  It also caused me to question a fairly solid religious faith I had had until then.

Here's where I came out: for me, most organized religion, while having its obvious upsides, is used essentially as crowd control.  The people I knew who were allegedly Christian harbored deep-seated hatred and intolerance for those unlike them.  The whole reason I liked Christianity was because it was about love.  But, everywhere I looked, I only saw love for those most like the group and a few unfortunate souls to do some good deeds for. 

When I was a kid, I went to Catholic school for a few years and got a prayer book.  In it were the corporal works of mercy (visit the imprisoned, feed the hungry, etc.).  These few instructions formed the basis for my life philosophy.  Yet, when I looked around at those who professed to also believe in this way of life, I couldn't see the same thing.  I saw an emphasis on God hates gay people, killing abortion doctors, or even just the occasional racist comment about Middle Easterners. 

Then I heard Bill Clinton start to campaign.  Now the man is far from perfect and his sharing of love is probably not the kind I was actually envisioning.  But, he talked about helping the homeless and rebuilding Iraq.  Hillary talked about health care for all.  They talked about protecting the environment and generally creating a nurturing society, or as close to one as we'll ever get.

When I turned 18, I promptly registered to vote and few months later cast my ballot for Clinton.  I did the same four years later.  And while I think there are a number of dodgy things that went down during that administration, on the whole, I believe our people were more cared for, as were people of other countries.  I think during those 8 years, human life was valued just a little bit more than corporations.  During that time, America was less hated internationally.

In the seven years since then, we have well-deservedly become the most hated nation in the world, we have dismantled our Constitution, and have given the uber-wealthy and corporations free reign while strangling the low- and middle-income people in this country.  Human rights and civil rights are now things of the good ol' days.  And the Christianity that demands our attention in the media again is about hate.

I never intended to vote for Obama in the beginning.  I intended to vote for Kucinich or, as a more viable candidate, Edwards.  These are men who speak to the issues that make my heart beat.  They talk about caring for the poor, housing the homeless, re-energizing this economy for everyone, and making sure people have health insurance.  Seriously, folks, health insurance!  It stuns me that people out there believe it is okay to deny medical coverage to someone because they cannot pay for it.  And before you throw any Medicaid rhetoric my way, pay a visit to my neighbor Cat and read the horror stories there.  What has happened to her family is nothing short of criminal and sinful and I don't see it getting better if I vote "family values" red.  In fact, I see it getting worse.

Anyhow, with my two preferences non-viable and out of the race, I was determined to cast a vote that mattered as much as it could.  When I looked at my options, I truly believed Obama would bring about some change.  I don't know that he can revolutionize the way we approach things, because looking at the Super Tuesday races last night, I realized this country is more fractured than I originally thought.  But, I believe he wants change.  I believe Clinton wants the White House.  There is a difference.  And that difference is the world to me.  She wants the post because she wants to be President.  I truly believe Obama wants it because he wants to serve the people.  Yes, Clinton is smart and savvy; yes, she has some experience.  But, I think that what motivates her most is her own ambition.

So, for those who still have a vote to cast.  Take it seriously.  Really consider your options.  And cast the vote that speaks your heart, not your fear or anger or frustration.

I won't dismantle comments, because I still believe in the idea of freedom of speech, for as long as we have it.  However, please do not leave some vitriolic diatribe about why I am wrong.  You will not persuade me and you will only prove my point.