Perhaps my note yesterday (which is now deleted) came off as harsh. However, I will not apologize for it, because I meant every word. For several weeks, I have kept pretty quiet about my political convictions, because I really want to try to increase the peace and love more. However, I kept a lot of stuff bottled up and after seeing my friends join groups such as "NObama in '08" and "Every Clueless Person I Know Likes Obama," I errupted like a volcano. It made me furious. It's not fair that I am expected to apologize for things I have said about conservative candidates and the people who support them, yet they think they can get away with saying whatever they want. However, instead of getting angry this time, I am going to take the intelligent approach and explain WHY I am voting for Barack Obama.

This is why I am voting for Barack Obama:

We have been in a war overseas for a long time, with that seems like no end in sight. I am not an expert about this war or what it's supposed to be about, but it just seems to me that we went in and tried to make their country United States Lite. Be that as it may, we've done away with Saddam Hussein and have been trying to get these people back on their feet and help their government to be able to run a country on their own. I think it's high time we stop babysitting them, and force them to grow up. Barack Obama, when he becomes President, will start withdrawing 1-2 brigades at a time, and has set a time of 16 months to be out, which I think will give everyone a chance to tie up loose ends. Setting deadlines is sometimes a dangerous job, but call me optimistic... it just may work.

I have a lot of gay, lesbian, and homosexual friends and family members. While I am not any of the above and I know what the Bible says about homosexuality, the Constitution says that ALL men were created equal... not just straight, white, conservative men. Barack Obama has said in debates that he is just sick of arguing about what it's called. While he does not support gay marriage, he does support civil unions with the same rights as marriages... which I think is a dead-on good idea. Some people are gay, and the faster people get over it, the better off we'll be. They deserve the same rights, just like everyone else. Medical information should be given out to their partners and they should be able to obtain health insurance like any heterosexual married couple. Discrimination and treating homosexuals like some kind of disgusting lepers is wrong. It also shouldn't be one of the only two criteria most conservatives vote according to. I think Barack Obama will bring a lot of justice to the way homosexuals are treated, supporting civil unions.

The second issue that seems to be a biggie with conservatives is a woman's right to choose. When choosing a candidate, I've seen a lot of conservative voters, especially here in the part of Virginia I am in, focus a lot on abortion. It's really stupid to think that all candidates that are pro-choice, are baby-killing monsters. Barack Obama said in one of his speeches that "no one is pro-abortion." Honestly, I think that statement is true. Unless someone is some kind of sadist, I don't think that one would go around, announcing that they think the killing of babies is the way to go. Pro-choice simply means a woman has the right to choose whether or not she wants to abort a child. I don't agree that every instance where a woman wants to abort a child. If a young girl is stupid enough to get knocked up at 15 or 16 years old, I think she should live with what she did, and have the child. She can keep it or give it up for adoption. However, if a woman's life is at stake and the only way to save her life IS abortion, I believe she should have the right to chose to have one. I believe Barack Obama will regulate who can and cannot have abortions.

As for the economy, even though minimum wage is being raised, inflation will still squelch its buying power. Obama plans to raise the minimum wage and put it at a place where it can mesh better with the cost of inflation. He also plans to increase the Earned Income Tax, so that workers will earn a wage that will enable them to raise a family. I believe this will help out the "every man" to work and be able to get ahead, instead of struggling to keep up.

I also like the fact that Obama is taking interest in all those like me who are uninsured because they cannot afford it. He wants to have a national health care plan, where no American is turned away because of illness or pre-existing condition. He wants to make it easy to enroll and make it affordable. For those still wanting private health care, Obama wants to reform it, to ensure fairness. I think it's a win-win for everyone.

I could go on forever, discussing more reasons why I support Obama, I think that's enough for now.

As for supposed reasons why I shouldn't vote for Obama, I just want to say that everything I've heard so far is ridiculous.

Barack Obama is NOT Muslim. There may be Muslim background in his family history, but Barack Obama is a Christian, and goes to a Christian church. You nay-sayers should all know that by now, because of all the attacks Obama has gotten because of Wright's racist comments. He may belong to a very liberal denomination within the Christian faith, he is still a Christian. For all of you who say he doesn't act like it, neither does anyone all the time. And you can't argue with that.

Barack Obama is not racist. I admit, I think that his retired pastor, Wright, is, but just because Wright is, doesn't mean that Obama is just because he goes to that church and has been Wright's friend for 20 years. That makes as much sense as when my mom told me that hanging out with adulterers would make me one. There is flaw in that "logic."

All the rest, I believe I've covered in the first paragraphs. Feel free to disagree with me on any or all of this, but you won't convince me otherwise. I've supported Barack Obama since November, and I will support him all the way to the White House and long after. I have no reason to not support him. He's a very good candidate and will make a good President.

However, please do not comment on my note or send me messages or write on my wall, with smartass comments on how you hate Obama and such. It makes me think less of you. I think that if you really dislike Obama and support another candidate, you had better research them. Arguing based on hearsay is dumb. I will respect you more if you know what you're talking about.

Anyway, that's about it. I'll see you guys later.

Love,
Michelle