As you all may well kow by now, I am an active supporter of the Obama/Biden ticket.  Now that the voter registration phase is over in Arizona, I go out and talk with my neighours and friends...both old and new, whenever I get the oppurtunity to talk about the ticket.  Yes... no doubt that "going with the new guy" has it's risks. However, it is my opinion that doing the same thing we have done for at least the past eight years has not worked, and we have to try something else, new eyes, new ideas, and new approches to the things that challange this nation.  I am not a person who gets into pie charts, statistics and figures.  I don't understand tax policy, or foriegn policy, or economics.  I know that I am limited by what I learn in the media, my (being honest here) personal biases, my personal experiences, and so on.  However,  I do understand that I want to see people, especially our children looked upon as assets and investments, rather than liabilities, and drains on the system.  This is the main reason I am supporting the Obama/Biden ticket.

People tell me that "hope" is not a good platform to base support of a candidate on.  They ask me "What has Obama done for you?"  My answer is pretty frank.  It isn't so much what Obama as done for me, it is more what he has not done to me...my freedoms, privacy, personal and civil liberties being taken in ths spirit of fear.  I have hope that we can use the governance for the common good, rather than to control people, and to impose ideologies and litmus tests rather than good, practical thought, and, good judgement to the problems we face as Americans, and citizens of this world.

When I think of hope, I think of the woman in this photograph.  I think of what she had to overcome just to get to the polling place.  She overcame threats of violence and riots, gunfire and bombings.  She had to indure endless checkpoints and invasions on her person to check for hidden devices.  She had to brave the weather, long lines, and had to walk because no one was allowed to drive to the polling places.  No matter how you view the invasion of Iraq, you have to admit that it allowed this woman to be able to choose who represents her, and her nation through popular vote.  It gave her the hope she so proudly displays to the photographer...her smile and her purple finger.

When I think of hope, I also think of this young child.  She stands out because she is different...something fresh, new, and bold.  She represnets a new idea, new eyes, new notions.  All of those women cloked in black make is possible for her to be free.  She looks back to remember, and is ushered foward to her destiny.

I am a product of hope...No one can tell me that hope is not a campaign platform.