I am voting for myself, for my future, for my hopes and for my dreams. I am voting for my 2 year old daughter (the most beautiful girl I have ever seen) and my unborn son who I pray will be healthy and happy. I am voting for this country and its future, its place in the World and in History. I am voting for the people who gave their lives for this country in battle so that we may have the freedoms that afford us this right. I voting for those who suffer in silence, and silence of their suffering. I am voting for the poor and the weak, the desolate and the disenfranchised, the cold and the sick. I am voting for the children with special needs, the children with special gifts, and the children with a purpose yet to be realized. I am voting for this planet and its health, its resources and its gifts. I am voting for balance, peace, compassion, and fairness. I am voting for tolerance, love, and equality.
But most of all I am voting for...
My Mother who passed away 2 months ago. A woman who was my guardian, my role model and my teacher. A selfless woman who would have given anything she had to anyone who needed it more than her, who loved her children and showed them everyday. A woman who was passionate about politics and loved to despise the Republican Party, and who embraced social liberalism for all the right reasons.
I am voting for my Father who passed away 4 years ago. He was a man of immense integrity, honesty, and compassion. He was my hero and my best friend. He taught his children right from wrong, to respect all people from all walks of life, and to be truly "color blind". He was a lifelong student of political science, and dedicated his life to improving the rights, income, dignity and strength of the middleclass.
And I am voting for Toots. WHO ARE YOU VOTING FOR?