Do it.

Tomorrow's the big day. I mentioned Barack Obama here in early March of 2007, which pretty much makes this the longest campaign EVER. That's about a year and a half ago! But this is the last day of that longest political season, and to be quite honest I'm ready for it to get there.
I already cast my absentee ballot, and I know countless others who have done the same. For the rest of you, go out and vote! Y'all know where my sympathies lie, but the important thing is to actually make it to your polling place and vote. Whatever your politics, whatever your issues, take your stand. It does matter; the last few races have been a testament to what a few thousand votes can do.
When I think about all that people have suffered in this country so that they could vote, it makes me feel like voting is not just my privilege, but my responsibility. As a woman, I have to recognize the long battle of the suffragettes who marched and were often arrested to have their voices heard. As a woman of color, I have to look at the struggles of African Americans who were disenfranchised first by slavery and then by Jim Crow laws that prevented them from exercising their legal rights. Theirs was a double struggle, and we should honor that as fellow minorities, by voting. Finally, as a Latina, I feel like it is important for me to vote because so many of my people cannot vote because of immigration issues or citizenship issues (not exactly the same thing). I vote for the millions who came before me who could not. I vote for the millions around me now who still cannot.

Besides, I'm ready for change. ¡Sí se puede!


Here, Ben and I demonstrate a little Democrat/Republican tension; though this is not our actual situation, I would like to say that I still talk to staunch Republicans on a daily basis, and they're not all bad people. ;) There's hope for bipartisan conversation!



Represent! Gotta give it to Obama's marketing team - Puerto Ricans love ANYTHING with our island and our flag on it. I begged for this shirt, folks. That is dedication!