I just voted early. I voted for Barack Obama. I voted for an African American for President in my lifetime - something I wasn't sure I would ever get to do.
To know why this is amazing to me, I guess I should give some details about myself. I am a 27-year old white man living in TX-10 (an R+13 district, I believe). I was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in a family that I try to defend as "not racist", but in reality I know they are. My grandparents, who I love and respect and are registered Democrats (who would probably be registered as Dixiecrats if they could be), often decry "how the n****** are ruining the country". My father, who I love and respect, made jokes about how Barack would paint the White House black and hang African art in the Lincoln Bedroom. My mother, who I love and respect, could not be convinced to vote for Barack, despite having never voted for a Republican in her life. She could only say that she thinks he's cocky, but I know she won't vote for him because he's black.
I spent my school years in the conservative Houston suburbs on the northwest side of town. My senior year in Government class, we took a Party Test to determine which political party we most associated ourselves with. Out of 30 or so students, only 1 did not get a result of "Republican" - me.
The environment in which I was raised does not lend itself to the party affiliation that I now have. At every turn, I have been surrounded by conservative and/or Republican people and principles. Yet today, I got to vote for a black man.
For President.
And I could not be more happy or proud of this accomplishment.
It is an accomplishment, as I see it. For me personally, to have looked past the environment in which I was raised and vote the way that I know to be correct, no matter that Barack will not win my state. For us as a nation to take the next step in our evolution and elect an African-American President, which I wasn't sure would happen in my lifetime.
I'm not much of a crier, but I couldn't help getting choked up on my way to my early voting location. And when I hit the "Submit Ballot" button, I got choked up all over again.
I am proud of us. I am proud of YOU for being a part of it. We have done it, Kossacks. Before I was here, you started small and started helping get Democrats elected. Now, as evidenced by some of the people that I got a chance to vote for today (Barack, Rick Noriega, and Larry Joe Doherty), we are all helping get MORE and BETTER Democrats elected.
Keep up the good work, Kossacks. My day today wouldn't have been possible without your help and the good work we are all doing for this country.