Part I: The Beauty of Barack
I’ve never been a political activist. I’ve never even registered with a political party. Over my twenty-four year voting life, I’ve cast ballots for both Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, and once for an Independent (yep, I checked a box for Ross Perot way back when). Although you might consider me a classic swing voter, I consider myself a conscience voter. I vote my values, and I make my choices based on the issues. I evaluate candidates on the merit of their past actions or inactions, and their ability (or lack thereof) to demonstrate sound judgment not only in their decision making, but in who they chose to align and surround themselves with and their lives in general. Perhaps that’s the unique lesson swing voters or independents—call us what you like—bring to the country, assess each round anew rather than declare blind loyalty and you’ll ensure a clearer view.
This election, something is different in me. This year, something moved me to go above and beyond watching, witnessing and analyzing into taking action. That which jarred me loose from my white upper middle class couch is the grass roots galvanizing juggernaut that has propelled Barack Obama to the forefront of the Democratic Party. More than the man himself, that “something” is the energy that has catapulted him—experienced or not—to the current position he is in.
This article is not about Barack Obama per se, and it is not about trying to convince you who to vote for. It is about America, a broken America, and an America that for the first time in my forty-something-years has not only seriously begun to crumble, worse, it has broken my heart. It is a look under the thin veil of wishful thinking that is about to be blown off this nation only to fully reveal the angst and suffering that has slowly and long festered beneath. This article, the first in a multi-part series, is an up-close, first-hand look into one of the cracks of our broken America and the story of a remarkable woman I found there. Let me tell you how.
Like I said, this election cycle something is different in me. I took a keen interest in all the candidates from the early stages of their campaigns and paid close attention during primary season, signing up for their emails and registering on their Web sites. In the interest of full disclosure, I’m a marketing coach, consultant and email marketing specialist by profession. I’ve been teaching email marketing seminars for nearly a decade, and have carved out a niche as an expert in the field of how to use it legally, ethically, and responsibly. So I couldn’t resist seeing what the candidates would deliver to my inbox.
