I Want to Believe

I have been a Hillary supporter since the fourth grade, when I cried because another little girl got to be Hillary Clinton when we were doing presentations on historical figures. I got to be Amelia Earhart, and my mom bought me an aviator hat and goggles to wear during the presentations at the army surplus store. Sometimes I still wear them just for shiggles. Miss Earhart is still one of my top three no-longer-with-us heroes (Joan of Arc, Lucille Ball, and good ole Amelia).

I was devastated when Hillary had to concede the nomination to Barack. I sat in the driveway, staring at my Hillary bumpersticker for a while, wondering where we went wrong. Can't a woman be president of the USA? Will it ever happen? Hillary is so perfect for the job. In my heart, Hillary Clinton will always be MY president.

I never liked Barack Obama, and when Hillary lost the nomination I was terribly bitter. I debated not voting at all. I decided, though, that it's unethical for Americans to not vote, and I'm all about ethics.

He has been more in the public eye as of late, particularly with the Democratic National Convention. And it dawned on me.

He's a real guy. He's just a regular guy, living the American Dream. He has a wife, and kids, and a vested interest in the future of this country. He is a young guy, with his own dreams and aspirations. And they all stem from and lead to this American Dream of ours.

I was young when my father died, but I remember him talking about marching with Dr. Martin Luther King. My father was a conscientious objector, and during the Vietnam War when he was drafted, he told the United States Army that he would sooner by shot than shoot another human being, and he was given a different assignment.

When he was young he marched with Dr. King, and shook his hand, and they all marched, and they all sang, and they were all Americans. All with an American Dream.

My daddy makes me so proud. I hope that some day I can be even half the person he was. He had so much love, so much love for every person he encountered. Love is really what this life is all about.

I wish my daddy were alive to see this day. A man and a woman, both running for the nomination to go to the election to the most powerful office in the land. An African American man who will, God willing, take that office and make it great again. Equality. It's what they marched for so many years ago. And here it is, knocking on our doorstep. We have so far to go, but we have come so far already.

"One person's struggle is all of our struggle." Mr. Obama, you have my vote. Make us great again.