This election is not about policies and politics. It is not about who is right and who is wrong. It is about people. It is about you and me and the people we love.
I am voting for Barack Obama because Romney's immigration policies would have kept my friend Daniel, an upstanding, educated, contributing member of society, married to an American citizen and father of an American citizen, illegal and unable to pursue becoming an American citizen, which he did.
I am voting for Barack Obama because when my roommate Whitney, someone who has been employed full time in her job for several years, got a horrifically painful stress fracture in her foot she could not afford to go to a doctor because she has no insurance. I watched her in excruciating pain for weeks because she knew the necessary x-rays would cost her hundreds of dollars she does not have.
I am voting for Barack Obama because I know that teachers like my friend Sarah are already fighting an uphill battle to educate our children enough to survive, let alone succeed. They and we cannot afford anymore cuts to funding.
I am voting for Barack Obama because if Romney has his way, the marriage of my friend Paul to his long time partner, one of the most beautiful and supportive relationships I have ever had the pleasure to witness, would be invalidated.
I am voting for Barack Obama because I don’t want my sister Karre's children or the children of my friends to suffer the same financial burdens I have in order to receive an education. I don’t want these incredibly intelligent kids to ever have to make a choice on learning based on their wallet. I never want the rest of us to suffer the loss of the contributions these beautiful kids could make to society because they could not afford to get the training they need to do so.
I am voting for Barack Obama because when I was in college with no insurance, Planned Parenthood was the only access I had to healthcare and they were able to help me with EXCRUTIATING pain caused by endometriosis. I never want my friends or their daughters to not have that option.
I am voting for Barack Obama because I believe that all the women I know should get paid just as much as the men I know for doing the same job. And because the fact that we are still talking about this in the year 2012 is nothing less than tragic.
I am voting for Barack Obama because the people I know who choose to work as independent contractors rather than for major corporations, who still pay income tax like everyone else, should have access to health care that won’t put them into bankruptcy.
I am voting for Barack Obama because I will not support anyone who tells my friends who they are allowed to love. I will not support anyone who tells them they are second class citizens because they are different than me or you. I would tag them… But there are so many. Because I know that having people in my life who are different than me, who love differently than me, makes me a better person.
I am voting for Barack Obama because I know that PBS was a huge contributing factor to my development as a person, starting with basic learning from shows like Sesame Street when I was a kid, all the way through the things I watch today that help open my eyes to the rest of the world.
I am voting for Barack Obama because I know that more of the people we know than you think have received government assistance to support their families, not because they are lazy, but because they were strong enough to ask for help before it was too late.
I am voting for Barack Obama because I know that in this country, the law says you can believe whatever you want to believe. But you can’t force me to believe it too. And you can’t legislate me into believing it.
I am voting for Barack Obama because of all the things I believe in, first and foremost I believe in love. And that love reminds me that I am not voting for issues, I am voting for people. When someone asks me “Who are you voting for?” I know that the true answer to that is not a candidate; it is the name of the candidate who represents the people I love, my friends, my family, my co-workers. I do not vote for me. I vote for them. And because of this, my choice is clear.
So, ask yourself. Who am I voting for? And then act accordingly.
I am voting for Barack Obama because Romney's immigration policies would have kept my friend Daniel, an upstanding, educated, contributing member of society, married to an American citizen and father of an American citizen, illegal and unable to pursue becoming an American citizen, which he did.
I am voting for Barack Obama because when my roommate Whitney, someone who has been employed full time in her job for several years, got a horrifically painful stress fracture in her foot she could not afford to go to a doctor because she has no insurance. I watched her in excruciating pain for weeks because she knew the necessary x-rays would cost her hundreds of dollars she does not have.
I am voting for Barack Obama because I know that teachers like my friend Sarah are already fighting an uphill battle to educate our children enough to survive, let alone succeed. They and we cannot afford anymore cuts to funding.
I am voting for Barack Obama because if Romney has his way, the marriage of my friend Paul to his long time partner, one of the most beautiful and supportive relationships I have ever had the pleasure to witness, would be invalidated.
I am voting for Barack Obama because I don’t want my sister Karre's children or the children of my friends to suffer the same financial burdens I have in order to receive an education. I don’t want these incredibly intelligent kids to ever have to make a choice on learning based on their wallet. I never want the rest of us to suffer the loss of the contributions these beautiful kids could make to society because they could not afford to get the training they need to do so.
I am voting for Barack Obama because when I was in college with no insurance, Planned Parenthood was the only access I had to healthcare and they were able to help me with EXCRUTIATING pain caused by endometriosis. I never want my friends or their daughters to not have that option.
I am voting for Barack Obama because I believe that all the women I know should get paid just as much as the men I know for doing the same job. And because the fact that we are still talking about this in the year 2012 is nothing less than tragic.
I am voting for Barack Obama because the people I know who choose to work as independent contractors rather than for major corporations, who still pay income tax like everyone else, should have access to health care that won’t put them into bankruptcy.
I am voting for Barack Obama because I will not support anyone who tells my friends who they are allowed to love. I will not support anyone who tells them they are second class citizens because they are different than me or you. I would tag them… But there are so many. Because I know that having people in my life who are different than me, who love differently than me, makes me a better person.
I am voting for Barack Obama because I know that PBS was a huge contributing factor to my development as a person, starting with basic learning from shows like Sesame Street when I was a kid, all the way through the things I watch today that help open my eyes to the rest of the world.
I am voting for Barack Obama because I know that more of the people we know than you think have received government assistance to support their families, not because they are lazy, but because they were strong enough to ask for help before it was too late.
I am voting for Barack Obama because I know that in this country, the law says you can believe whatever you want to believe. But you can’t force me to believe it too. And you can’t legislate me into believing it.
I am voting for Barack Obama because of all the things I believe in, first and foremost I believe in love. And that love reminds me that I am not voting for issues, I am voting for people. When someone asks me “Who are you voting for?” I know that the true answer to that is not a candidate; it is the name of the candidate who represents the people I love, my friends, my family, my co-workers. I do not vote for me. I vote for them. And because of this, my choice is clear.
So, ask yourself. Who am I voting for? And then act accordingly.
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