A Whole New Dimension
My experience in politics is very limited. I only voted in one election (2004 presidential). I don't watch a lot of CNN or MSNBC. I listen to some news but not as much as others. I watched in dismay as the 2000 election went completely "cukaboo". I thought to myself, so your vote won't count if the stupid machine messes up in punching a hole through your ballot? I was 17, 2 months from 18. I didn't understand how this was happening. It made me a bit more aware of politics and even more anxious to vote in 4 yrs.
After the tragedy of 9/11 (that I watched coverage of during my freshman year of school on tvs placed all around campus), and watching our country enter a "war" that turned out to be very misleading, I registered to vote in 2003 as a "non affiliate" party member. I tried to vote in the primary (for Howard Dean) in 2004 only to be told I couldn't because I wasn't in a party. And, that I should be a democrat anyhow because I am black! That angered me because I felt I should have a say in which candidate I wanted to see run for the top office. Also, how dare someone stereotype me!! I ended up stuck with Kerry because I didn't think Bush deserved another term. John Kerry wasn't the best choice, in my opinion, but he seemed like the lesser of two evils. Lo and behold, Bush wins a second term, there is more election scandal, and my faith in our electorial process dies a little.
Now it is 2008 and we have a very historical election. A black presidential candidate versus a woman vice presidential hopeful. My how the times have changed!! Oh wait, Obama is supposedly a Muslim because of his name and Palin's "domestic" responsibilities may keep her from doing her job well. I suppose the stereotyping will never end. And me, the "monkey in the middle" must make a choice. I need to either support "my brotha" or my "sista". If I choose one over the other, I am betraying someone. The issues don't even matter right? Because, I am a black woman my choice only comes down to the skin color or gonads of the candidates. Way to go America, that's another stereotype. Your 3 for 3!! Is Perot running again?
Is it worth voting? Will my vote actually count this time, or will it get lumped into a poll and misconstrued? Well, I will be making an "informed" decision based on the issues because my vote is needed for the statistics, can't let America's stereotypes down.
NOTE: I will be voting in this election, despite my disgust!!! I am an all important swing voter after all. S, I guess my vote is kinda important!!!
We know relatively very little about Pluto, but the New Horrizxons mission to Pluto and the rest of the Kuiper belt is scheduled to arrive at Pluto in 2015 to teach us more.
"The more things change, the more they remain...insane"
-"Over the Hedge" (2004)
"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the pheonix"
-Christina Baldwin