and why I am voting for him in November (and not against McCain or Palin)
I grew up in a small town in Northern California. From the time I was in high school I knew that I was "different," but this was before Will and Grace was on television. I did not have a gay uncle or a lesbian niece somewhere in the family. I remember being attracted to other guys and praying every Sunday at Church for God to simply take this whole confusing thing away, because being gay--at least then--was my worst imaginable fear.
Now, I am 30. When I was 18 I registered Democrat, and seven years ago I was the founding President of the Stonewall Democratic Club of Greater Sacramento. In the last seven years I cannot tell you how many Democratic candidates for local to statewide office we have interviewed who were absolutely unable to say those three little words: gay and lesbian.
Many hours I have sat, as candidate after candidate came to ask for our support, our votes, and our money, but could never say our names.
I watched this at the national level. Take John Kerry's acceptance speech from 2004, where he talks about the gay and lesbian community in code
I want to address these next words directly to President George W. Bush: In the weeks ahead, let's be optimists, not just opponents. Let's build unity in the American family, not angry division. Let's honor this nation's diversity; let's respect one another; and let's never misuse for political purposes the most precious document in American history, the Constitution of the United States.
Clearly, the LGBT community knew what he was talking about, but he--like so many other candidates--could not say our name.
Now, in 2008, I find a candidate who talked to me directly.
I supported Senator Clinton in the Democratic Primary for several reasons: She impressed me as first lady. As Senator she fought for reauthorization of the Ryan White Act. She was a constant voice against the Federal Marriage Amendment. When I met her at the California Democratic Convention she had an amazing grasp of what the federal government can do to help people, instead of letting government programs die on the vine.
But Thursday night I heard something different. On national television, Senator Barrack Obama said one thing that brought tears to my eyes:
Our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters...
Senator Obama was able to do what so many candidates from school board to Governor had not done, call me by my name. Not talk around me, or reference me, but refer to me on a human level.
I am excited about his Presidency. I now understand my mother's excitement when she talks about Kennedy. I am inspired because we have a candidate who calls upon our better angels, who asks us to be better than ourselves, to hold each other accountable, and who welcomes me into the fold of the human condition as his brother.
I do not agree with Senator Obama on every issue, but as my grandmother used to tell me, "If two people agree on everything, one of them is doing any thinking." However, I know that he will approach the presidency with honor. That his table will be open, and that he will not be afraid to take on controversial issues.
So let's stop the discussion about why we should not vote for McCain and Palin, and let us remind our friends, neighbors and nation of what we saw last Thursday: It is time for healing, for acceptance, for Barrack Obama.