In most of Texas being a Democrat is a four-letter word. I feel like a minority although I don't feel discriminated against. As a matter of fact I feel elite. The purpose of this article, which I hope I can keep short, is to clarify why I have chosen to be affiliated with the Democratic party. (Democratic Party Icon from iStockphoto)
I grew up in a small town in Georgia in the 1950s and 60s. By the time I was 10 years old (1956) I had begun to realize the way people were treated. Being in a segregated society I realized that people of color received little respect. I was reprimanded by my mother for saying "yes, ma'am" to an elderly black woman. As a preteen I noticed a clean-cut young black man working the elevators in a department store and commented on how handsome he appeared and was reprimanded about that statement by my father. In the summer I could look out our kitchen door and seen black people loaded into the backs of pickup trucks and trailers being taken out to the fields to pick cotton. These people appeared to get no respect from white people.
As an eighth grader, I disagreed with the social studies teacher when she said that one always votes for the party. One does not pick and choose who to vote for based on the individual. Of course at that time the south was mostly Democratic so she was talking about never voting the Republican ticket. If she were still alive now I'm sure she would have changed her stance on which party to support. At that time I was learning to think for myself so I didn't think any choices should be dictated to me ... I still think that way.
Even though I still weigh the issues, I now realize that it is also the party platform that directs the person on the political ticket. I became a Democrat because of that very reason. The Democratic party is the party of the people ... all the people, not just the wealthy and socially elite, but the middle and lower income Americans as well.
I am concerned about the justices to be appointed to the Supreme Court, about education of all our children (No Child Left Behind has not worked), concerned about health care, Social Security benefits, the economy, global warming, oil dependency and the need for alternative sources of fuel, concerned that we keep Roe vs Wade as law, and concerned our standing and interaction with the rest of the world.
Regarding abortion, I don't know anyone who is FOR abortion, but we need to TEACH appropriate sex practices to our young people. Just saying "choose abstinence" is not enough for everyone. We need education as a viable alternative to abortion; but abortion CANNOT be banned because we have health issues of the mother, rape and incest that may constitute the need for an abortion. Being able to choose is still a necessity.
I believe the Democratic Party is concerned about us middle income citizens, but also is concerned about the fate of the disenfranchised. As a matter of fact, we should all be concerned about those who are not as well off or as educated as we. The fate of our nation depends on what we do to educate and bring those who are less advantaged into the general population. We need to prepare people to have a reason to live an upright life free of crime. The Democratic Party platform addresses the issues that most concern me; therefore I am a Democrat.
For all the reasons above and because I believe Barack Obama will be good for ALL the people in our country, I have chosen to support him for President. His energy, intelligence, and statesmanship is what is needed for American in this new century.
