Background: I am a 29 year old white male born in the panhandle of Florida. I have been lurking about on dailykos for almost a year now, ever since I saw this website vilified on fox. I've become hooked. I do not always agree but I have come to appreciate the open forum I find here.
Over the course of the past 7 years, my self-described ideology has changed from Republican to Libertarian. My friends say I'm a Liberal now, but to many here at dailykos that would be laughable if they knew my positions. I am on the verge describing myself at parties as a conservative democrat in public, and back home in the panhandle that can make discussions about politics difficult.
My conservative friends think I've joined a personality cult because I have become an active supporter of Barak Obama. I wanted to share the email that I sent out to defend myself and hopefully convince them to think for themselves and stop listening to divisive rhetoric.
Update
Ok, I was really happy with the responses I received. I was encouraged to add some more of the background about what has brought me to dailykos.
First off, I am not much of a writer. I'm a math guy. I work as an actuary for an insurance company (don't hate me it is one of reasons I've come around on health care issue). I am just so inspired by Obama, I decided I would take a chance to try to tell people on this site I really believe there is a growing wave of people out there who want to see a difference.
Politics has been something that Americans have disdained for so long, myself included. People would rather watch 100 hours American Idol than 5 minutes of a Presidential Debate. But look at where it has left us.
I think more people are waking up and looking around and seeing how much our future is now in danger. Look at the voter turn out, look at people like myself.
For example, I have some friends who were raised as strict evangelicals, but they are begun to believe in global warming and are scared to death. They are confused about a great many things now and it makes them look for guidance outside their traditional sources. Where do we place them in the political spectrum? I think there is a chance to gain their votes without compromising on social issues. If real pressing problems (health care, national debt, global warming, iraq, economy, education, etc) make it to the forefront of the election I believe a landslide is brewing of epic proportions.
I really like the message that we can transcend these divisive politics and begin to use reason and logic to solve our problems. I am a firm believer in the scientific method and reason... I think many Americans want to believe that there are politicians who are more than just platitudes. I want to believe and many of my friends and colleagues do to.
There is a growing majority of people who haven't participated actively in our system but want to learn the issues and make real choices. Network television isn't providing the background information for decisions. That is why I love this website. I really think I have learned so much from reading here, so everybody should take a step back and think about how far we have come since 2004...and how far we can go.
That is why I posted this diary and why I want to fight for change. I want to be part of this coalition and solve real problems. I want to see Democrats tidal wave into congress to punish social conservatives, lobbyists, and neo-conservatives who are hijacking our government and obfuscating the real issues. I want change. I want to believe.
This is why I posted this diary and why I am supporting Obama.
To my friend,
As you know I have been a cynical guy when it came to politics but now I really believe that Obama can actually shake this country awake. It is uplifting - I am sorry if it seems like a cult but I think our generation has never seen something like this before. A movement that trascends apathy and cynicism.
What you see as a personality cult is actually just inspiration - something we have never seen nor experienced. I don't blindly follow Obama and I do not think he is perfect, but I am inspired. I believe we can do a better job with this country and the world.
Obama is not all talk, but yes, the talk is inspirational...he wants to reform the way we to politics and yes, it might not all work, but I have great respect for him wanting to try.
He's studied and methodical. He's incredibly smart and he is willing to take the right road, not just the easy and politically convenient one. More importantly to me, he is willing to listen to ideas no matter who or which side of the aisle they are coming from. Although he's been compared to JFK and Bobby Kennedy a lot, I think he could be more in line with FDR; smart, brainy, willing to take smart advice from people he knows know the issues better than anyone else even if they have an R in their pedigree. What's more, he appeals to independents and Republicans like no Democrat has in a long time he could win. He'll do it with class then he'll continue to govern that way.
B.