Rants & Raves

For the first time in history, America has credible presidential contenders in many minority groups.

For the first time in history, a precedent of electing someone who’s not a white male can be made.

For the first time in history, you can choose from a Latino (Bill Richardson), a Mormon (Mitt Romney), a woman (Hillary Clinton) or an African-American (Barack Obama).

This is not to insult the many who came before (Jesse Jackson, Carol Moseley Brown, the list goes on), but for the first time in history, these people aren’t pulling up from behind. They’re out in front. Most of them are already senators who know what’s been going on behind the scenes of the war, national health care and environmentalism.

There is no reason not to vote in 2008! To take part in history! To buck the 200+ years of the same thing!

Even though there is much from which to choose, don’t choose someone because he or she is a minority. Choose someone because he or she has values and standards you agree with. Otherwise, it’s the same as tokenism - hiring someone because he’s black or Latino. Let’s say it all together now…Tokenism is wrong. The odds are already stacked against them: if a minority gets elected and doesn’t do a stellar job (and let’s face it, running a country is hard, folks) everyone says, “I told you a [fill in the blank] couldn’t do the job.”

It’s exciting that we have so much choice, but sad that we have to look at a person’s physical or religious characteristics before we look at the person. So in 2008, vote for the person you think is best for the job, but remember that you have to vote, because for the first time in history, we have a real choice.