Last month, when I went to vote in the California primaries, I was overwhelmed by who to choose. I sat for a full half hour contemplating my choices - either way, my vote could become part of our nation's history as we decide whether to elect our first woman president, or our first African American head of state.
As a woman, I was thrilled by the prospect that Hillary Clinton may make "herstory" and as a woman and mother, might make decisions as our President that would actually mean something positive for working mothers like me. On the other hand, I worried that she might follow her husband's political footsteps. Even so, I worried, too, if that was fair. After all, she didn't sign the bill that ended "welfare as we know it" - a catch phrase created by professional speech writers for her husband, Bill. It was her husband, not her, who signed this legislation, ensuring his popularity - and reelection chances - while condemning millions of children to abject poverty and lifetimes of need. It was her husband, not her, that signed a bill that forced millions of low-income mothers off welfare into low-wage, dead-end jobs, or no-wage, demeaning workfare assignments, including hundreds of thousands of mothers who were forced to quit school to pick up trash in city parks, or lose the food stamps they needed to feed their kids. And it was her husband who years later, claimed he didn't realize what he had signed - his "I didn’t inhale" of welfare reform. But still I worried, was it fair to hold this against her?
At the same time, I was moved by the possibilities that Obama could bring to our country as our first black President - and what it would mean to my friends of color, my community, and our country were he to lose. Having grown up in South Carolina, a state not known for its racial sensitivity, with my share of racist neighbors, friends, and family members, I know first-hand how badly change is needed, both at home and in Washington, D.C. Then again, what if Obama is too good to be true? And after what happened to poor children under Bill Clinton, I couldn't afford to be wrong. Still, I hoped that maybe, finally, Barack Obama would be the first President to not let me down. After all, before embarking in politics, Obama was a community organizer in Illinois, and was part of historic, successful, community efforts to address the injustices in their state's criminal justice system. I even called friends in New York to find out who got their votes. I felt like maybe, Obama might really get it. After all, I need real change for my family and my community, not just Washington, D.C. And finally I cast my vote.
After his speech on race in America, I know I made the right choice. This brilliant and honest address wasn’t written by professional speechwriters – Obama wrote it himself, the night before his speech. I am convinced now that this man is unlike any other political candidate I’ve had the opportunity to vote for. In other campaign speeches, Obama has implored us to "believe, not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington, I'm asking you to believe in yours."
After hearing his speech, I believe.
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