Rock The Vote

We're one week out from election day 08. This time next week polls will be closed or closing and we'll be hours from making history. Either a black man will be President or a woman will be Vice-President. I am proud that we've made these important strides away from the cookie-cutter profile for the Leader of the Free World. This is a sign of progress, and progress is always good. right? Well, yes, right, IF everyone is on board - on the Progress Express. My fear is that some people - perhaps a great deal of people, missed the final boarding.
My vote, no question, will be for Barack Obama. I have supported him as my candidate since before the primaries. Really, since before he officially announced that he was running, and I am cautiously optimistic today. Why Obama? Frankly because I think he is what we need. He inspires. When he speaks, people listen. I can't think of a single other person in my lifetime who could reach such a broad audience and spread such optimism as Barack Obama. I think having him in the oval office will teach a lot of people about tolerance and about questioning their preconceived notions. I think Barack Obama is the hope for the United States. Yet, I am afraid for him.
The headlines every day scream "racism", "assassination plot", "Muslim Terrorist", "William Ayers", and on and on. Really? In the year 2008? Really? The sad answer is yes, really. I wish the country as a whole was blindfolded and forced to make our decisions with our ears and not our eyes. Would the numbers be different? Would his margin of lead by wider if we couldn't see the color of his skin? Without question. And I think that is truly sad. It terrifies me that people would plot to end his life. Not because we'd be losing a President, but because his daughters would lose their dad and his wife, her life partner. He knows the risk is there, yet he has committed himself to the cause of digging the U.S. out of the hole we've been sunken in to by 8 years of the Bush administration.
What has made me the most disheartened and sad about this election is that ignorance is not contained to the stereotypical locations and populations (yes, I realize that stereotypes of populations is also ignorance). No, it's as local as the office 20 feet from mine. As relevant as the coworkers I sit in meetings with. This election has brought about a certain enlightenment for me. I can no longer blissfully assume that because I live in a liberal state and have a diverse group of friends, that my neighbors, my colleagues, my (gulp... too painful to say..) friends aren't inwardly (and in some horrifying circumstances, outwardly) just as prejudice and opposed to progress as the people I have avoided all my life.
So yes, history is being made. America will be forever changed, one way or the other. I too, have been forever changed. My optimistic views tainted. True colors are shining through. I just wish they were more about red, white and blue, and less black and white.

Sidenote: This blog is not going to be used for political rants. this is a once (maybe twice) occuring topic.

Why? Why Not?

So this is it. Blogging. Why am I doing this? Who would care to read it? What do I really have to talk about that's all that interesting? I suppose the answer to all three is - I don't know.
I write all day. Why would I want to write in my free time too? Again, not so sure of the answer. Just stick with me and we'll figure this out as we go.
So, here we go..