I start with this preamble just to let you the reader know what time and place I have come from.
I was born in 1965. My parents were young (at 20 and 18 yo) and semi-innocent, or more likely naive, when they got married and had me 7+ months later...you do the math.
If I had to describe my Dad in the 60's & 70's, it would have to be "Meathead" (yes, Archie Bunker's son-in-law) without the shouting. I say "Meathead" because at the time he could have passed for his twin and although I don't remember any political tyrades from him, I felt then and still do that those were his politics. I think he just didn't think he could be so vocal and still be the head of household he thought he had to be. Maybe that is why I am not willing to compromise my voice now.
Mom was no "Gloria" though. I don't know how she did it. My mom always worked and I know she dealt with the same heart wrenching emotions that I have had to cope with raising my kids as a working mom.
I have been told that I was a "perfect" child until I became a teen. I think that is pretty accurate. I was a HORRIBLE teen. I don't know how my Mom survived. She had her own way of dealing with my shenanigans. Ever been hung-over and had to wake up to the smell of a full egg and sausage breakfast cooking? She was an ACE at that. She NEVER cooked breakfast unless.... Somehow that lesson wasn't learned quite quick enough for my own good...LOL. Hopefully my kids will not give me reason to start cooking any time soon :)
One thing I did come away with from my younger years is until I had my own family, I though I was a "flower" child. I had no other group to identify with.
Although I do not recall my parents being very verbose regarding their political leanings, we ALWAYS watched the evening news (always local and Walter Cronkite) during dinner time, and they ALWAYS took me with them to stand in line to vote in every primary and election. Not just every 4 years, but every time there was a vote, local, state, or national.
I am a now a middle-class 40-something mom, married for nearly 21 years, with a 20-yo son and 15-yo daughter. Like most parents we have had to deal our share of bumps and many smiles and giggles along the way.
My husband used to think he was a republican (you all know the brainwashing parents can do!) but he never voted. That changed when I forcefully started shutting him down when he would start on a tyrade about anything political with the "you don't vote you have no say" argument..IT WORKED! He had to start paying attention to what was actually happening in the world and formed his own opinions. He still has his moments of "All politicians are crooks and belong in jail" and my going ballistic for the horrible generality of that statement but, now he has found himself realizing he may not be quite so repub as he thought. Thankfully, in 2000 and 2004 he did vote, but NOT vote for Bush. Even he could see what a mistake that was, even if the final outcome did reinforce his "crooks" attitude. To our surprise, early in the primary process this year he took one of the "who to vote for" quizes online and he came out MUCH more liberal than even I did! Imagine my surprise and his shock. He still is "in the closet" but I am thankful that at least I know Barack will be getting his vote this year.
But this not just about his political birth but my re-birth as a card carrying progressive liberal. As short as 6 months ago, I was a self-described "Moderate". I really thought that my basic ideas about issues and politics was pretty much down the middle when taken in the whole. I have learned through this fabulous election cycle that I am truly a raving lunatic "progressive liberal". I could not be PROUDER! I can't get enough of it.
I started the primary election cycle by trying to learn as much as I could about the candidates. Other than following the daily MSM reports, I first read "Living History" by Hillary Clinton. Frankly, it didn't leave me with any warm fuzzies. Next, I read "The Audacity of Hope" by Barack Obama. Although, I may not have agreed with 100% of what he said, I did feel that it was honest and forthright. Warm fuzzies were starting to emerge. I read the news contantly, read the blogs (especially dKos!), and talk to anyone that will discuss for more than a minute about what is currently happening in the campaign. My co-workers are thankfully also solid dems and that makes it much easier to vent and intelligently discus the issues and about how horrible McSame truly is and will be.
I find myself throwing myself more into my volunteer activities at church as chair of our weekly homeless mission and am looking for more ways to contribure to fixing the ills of our community in anyway I can in the time I have available. I have NEVER contributed to a political campaign but have this year as much as I can in this economy even if it just a small amount here and there. I am looking for Obama volunteer opportunities in my area (we live in MD so there are not strong campainging opportunities even with the 50 state initiative), and am boning up on "talking points." Somehow most of our close friends are republican! I am still not quite sure how that happened! We still love them dearly :)
I also have become much more aware of specific issues as they come up before Congress. Yikes, that will make anyone go NUTS, especially with FISA! I happen to be a life-long resident of Steny Hoyer's district. I actually met him at a local fundraiser in the very early 80's. It was just a local fundraising event for the Red Cross and he could not have been more gracious. He was engaging and very 'real'. Since then, I have been a big supporter. With the outcome of the whole FISA fiasco, I am not so sure. But we can not put the cart before the horse.
I truly believe we must work toward the "more and then BETTER democrats". This year is our chance to make that happen! It will not be pretty, soon it will be even uglier. ReThugs will always be ReThugs. They are going to play dirty and play hard. We do not need to stoop to their level, but we must match their intensity with integrity. It is our responsibility as citizens to not to just VOTE but also to have purpose and drive behind everything we do and SAY.
I feel re-born and re-energized. My dreams for 2009 start with standing on Pennsylvania Avenue with my two politically mature 'kids' watching history being made as our wonderful country has it's own re-birth as a positive contributor to our world.
I truly pray that anyone that is still unsure about who they want to lead our country for the next 8 years (no that is not a typo) will not limit themselves to blindly following either candidate just because of their party affiliation or the rhetoric spewed by the MSM and talking heads or either party. I pray that this can be a campaign of substance and thought on the real issues of our country and countrymen.
We MUST elect a man of true character and compassion for EVERY man, woman, and child.