Monday, November 5, 2012
What are your thoughts about tomorrow’s election in the United States?
I accidentally already wrote and shared this post over the weekend, during the free-write. Here’s more in-depth thoughts on tomorrow’s election.
For the first time in my life, I am terrified of what may happen on Election Day.
In the last presidential election, I was an excited 18 year old. It was my first Presidential Election where my vote mattered, and I WAS A PART OF HISTORY. Not only did I vote for Hilary Clinton in the primaries, but I voted for Obama to be President of the United States. There was a certain air of excitement associated with the 2008 Election, and it was really excited about it.
Since he became President, Barack Obama has taught me a lot. I’ve learned a lot of different things from him, and I actually blogged about it in July. One of the top things he’s taught me?
Mixed feelings are a natural part of life.
On November 4th, 2008, I voted for Barack Obama because a) I didn’t like John McCain and b) it was the right, radical thing to do. The next day was a mixed feeling of defeat and victory. When it was announced that Obama had won the election, my entire quad (the dorm area I was living in) erupted in cheers. People ran out to the grassy quad area, started rocking out, and an all-out party exploded well into the night. When I woke up the next morning, feeling like I was part of history and the world was about to change, I also found out Prop 8 had passed in California. I wasn’t out at this time to my family, but I was devastated to know that same-sex marriage was so heavily discriminated against. It was the first of many times during my college years that I realized I wasn’t like everyone else, and that there was a world beyond the gay bubble I lived in.
My excitement mixed with sadness at a protest on campus following the passing of Prop 8 in November 2008.
President Obama has also taught me to expect the unexpected. Never in my lifetime did I think I would be able to vote for the first biracial President, and never did I think that President would come out in support of gay marriage. I also never thought I would meet Jack Hanna, but that dream came true as well. Maybe the Mayans were right about this whole 2012 thing afterall…
Neither Mitt Romney nor Barack Obama is making me do flips or go crazy with excitement. Both candidates have their flaws (some more than others!), and both candidates have their strengths. But you know what? One candidate respects me as a strong, independent, lesbian woman with a need for healthcare. Barack Obama has my vote tomorrow, and I hope he can keep his promises to me. If Mitt Romney wins, I am scared for my future.
For the first time in my life, I am voting as a “real” adult. I am 22, almost 23 years old. Four years from now, I will be almost 27. In the next four years, a lot could happen to me. I know for sure that I will be graduating with my Masters Degree in the next year, and looking for my first “real job” soon. (Gasp.) I will turn 26 in a few years, which means I will need to find my own health insurance. I need to be sure that my medication is covered, and that I am not left with any chances of getting seriously ill. In the next few years I might even get my own apartment! (Ya know, one that isn’t paid for by my University!) I could meet the love of my life, get engaged, and want to start a family. If Mitt Romney is President, there’s a very good chance none of this will (legally) be possible. That makes me so incredibly sad, and it makes me hope and dream for a better tomorrow. Simply put, I want a President that believes in me, and, in return, I’ll believe in him.
No matter what your political affiliation, if you are registered to vote, I encourage you to do so tomorrow. You can make the difference, and it is very important to realize that every vote counts. If not because of me, do so for your future. Your vote can help determine the path our country takes. No matter who you vote for, simply let your voice be heard.
