Our party’s Convention this week has reminded me how very proud I am to be a Democrat.
I grew up in a Republican household. My maternal grandparents turned off the radio when Happy Days Are Here Again came on. My paternal grandmother was a Rockefeller delegate to the 1960 Republican Convention. The charm bracelet my paternal grandparents gave me when I graduated from high school has a charm on it that has the Seal of the great state of New York on one side, and an engraved note on the other from Lt. Gov. Malcolm Wilson. No one in my family had EVER been a Democrat.
But I grew up in the 1960s and 1970s and there was something about the Democratic message that grabbed my heart when I was young. I have never changed my mind. I have never voted for a Republican.
And I was reminded why, so forcefully, this week. I am so grateful to have a good job and to have had the opportunity to take this week off to watch this amazing Convention.
I am so VERY PROUD TO BE A DEMOCRAT.
These are only a few reasons why I am so proud to be a Democrat:
Our Party, the Democratic Party, supports our troops.
We may agree, or disagree, with decisions about war – but we are steadfast in our support of those sent into battle. (My Dad and both of my grandfathers served in the military and are buried beneath our nation’s flag. Members of my family have served in every war since the Revolutionary War.)
Mitt Romney did not even MENTION our troops during his acceptance speech.
Our Democrats?
John Kerry (Vietnam War vet):
Tammy Duckworth (Iraq War Vet):
Our Party, the Democratic Party, supports women.
Cecile Richards
Our Party, the Democratic Party, stands up for individual citizens who want to speak out:
Sandra Fluke
Our Party, the Democratic Party, made sure that Americans with pre-existing conditions could not be denied healthcare; we made sure that insurance "caps" ended; we made sure that children and teens and young adults could stay on their parents' plans through age 26 -- this helped my niece.
Our Party, the Democratic Party, wants to include all people in our progressive vision for the future:
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver
Our Party, the Democratic Party, supports unions and those who work building good things for America:
Former Governor Jennifer Granholm
Our Party, the Democratic Party, embraces all families:
Zach Wahls
Our Party, the Democratic Party, cheers for those who exhibit courage and patriotism against all odds; we stand for those who are disabled:
Rep. Gabby Giffords
Our Party, the Democratic Party, believes in civil rights; we are so very proud of those of our party who have sacrificed and stood firm for civil rights:
Rep. John Lewis
(I wept through his speech; Rep, John Lewis is one of my heroes.)
President Obama is my President; he is OUR President. I am so very proud to have him as my President.
I am so very proud to be a Democrat and so proud to support the reelection of President Barack Obama.
On Saturday, I will join thousands of people around America in a weekend of action in support of President Barack Obama.
We will kick off ours, here, in Northern Virginia, with Mayor Julian Castro – how exciting is this? And we will begin canvassing.
And I, for one, will be walking the pavement in Northern Virginia EVERY WEEKEND until November 6.
I will keep on walking and knocking and persuading – because there is nothing more important than making sure that President Barack Obama, our President, gets the second term he deserves.
And PS -- My 82-year-old former GOP Mom (who was on her feet cheering tonight) agrees.