I don’t know about you, but this election has worn me out. I’m sick of it; sick of the television ads, sick of the robo calls on my landline phone and my cell phone, sick of the brochures in the mail, sick, sick, sick…
I’m even sick of writing about it, but the fact that it is more important than we can possibly imagine keeps me typing away.
This presidential election, it’s imperative that the LGBT community – my community – gets out and votes. Your voice needs to be heard – your vote is more important than ever.
The only thing I want you to think about when you go to vote on Tuesday is who and what is best for you and for your quality of life. I believe more than anything, voting is a personal choice. It’s one of those rare things in life where you actually do get to make up your own mind.
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It really doesn’t matter what others have tried to convince you to do – what matters is what you believe is the right thing to do for you.
I’m not going to lecture you or try and guilt you into doing the right thing. What I’m asking you to do is vote your conscience.
By now, you should have all the information you need to make an intelligent choice when it comes to voting this Presidential Election as an LGBT American. You know what the right thing is – just go and do it.
Don’t say, “But Barb, my vote doesn’t matter, it won’t make a difference.”
It matters, if for no other reason that you have the right to have your say – to have your American voice heard. It’s a cold, hard world sometimes and this is your chance to help make the change you want to see in the world, to help make your world and the world of your friends safer and stronger.
I don’t see voting as a chore or as a right that I have. I see voting as my responsibility as an American citizen.
There are those in positions of power who seemingly want only certain people to vote – you know, those of a certain color or religion or level of education or gender – so I feel it’s my responsibility to go and vote against such tyranny.
It’s also my responsibility to have an informed opinion of the people running for office and know what the propositions are all about before I head to the polls. It’s my responsibility to vote my informed and knowledgeable conscience! This is also your responsibility.
You cannot moan that the world isn’t treating your gay or lesbian soul fairly and then sit on your ass on Election Day and do nothing. If you don’t vote – you cannot complain about the state of your world. Change can only happen when it’s the will of all the people.
I’ll be voting for a President who will put in Supreme Court Justices who will be fair and honest; not bogged down in religion and power and money.
I’ll be voting for a President who admits his faults and strives to do better.
I’ll be voting for a President who faced with insurmountable odds, has done his best to pull us out of an economic failure with no help from a Republican House.
I’ll be voting for a President who values women and their right to make their own choices about their healthcare and their contraceptives.
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I’ll be voting for a President who saved our auto industry, and believes in global warming and has plans to start to make things better.
I’ll be voting for a President who believes in America although millions of Americans hate him simply because of the color of his skin.
As Americans we need to always remember where it is that we’ve come from, so we know where it is that we need to go.
As gay Americans we need to remember those of our community who lived in times that were far beyond what I can imagine. These are the sweet brave souls who fought the fight and made it easier for us; and now it is now our responsibility to pay it forward – to make it easier for those generations of our LGBTQ family who will carry-on long after we’re gone. Remember this as you cast your vote on Tuesday.
A vote for President Obama is a vote for the LGBTQ Community – for women – for the middle class – for America. I will responsibly cast my vote for him on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, and hope for all of us that the chips fall on the right numbers and colors!
Cast your vote – and let the chips fall…