As a teenager beginning to explore the world of politics, I am often appalled by the corruption that goes on among many of the men and women who lead our country. I watch as my peers give up on our government and drift away from politics altogether. For a long time I struggled with these feelings before reading an article in Newsweek about Senator Barack Obama. He spoke of change not as rash revolution but as a natural progression when things are going wrong and people choose to sit down and listen to one another. I was excited to discover someone strong in his beliefs, yet willing to adjust should discussion and reflection shed new light on an issue. I am eager for our country to cool down and start talking again. I believe we need leaders like Barack Obama, who have a bigger plan for politics. Obama ignited a spark of hope in me, and I am excited to participate in this election as a first-time voter.

Not A Battle Of The Sexes
Although having a woman in the White House would appear to be a step forward in the democratic quest for equality and women’s rights, I do not believe that voting a woman in solely based on her sex would do any justice to our foremothers who fought for women’s suffrage. What would make having a woman president such an accomplishment would be the fact that she was chosen based on her morals and ideals regardless of her gender.

Many mothers would love to touch their young daughters gently on the shoulder as they point up to the American flag and whisper into their ears, “You too can be president one day. You can be anything you want.” But we do not need a woman in the Oval Office before we can tell our daughters that they can be anything they set their hopes on. We do not need to elect a woman as president to prove it is possible.

Though men have historically held the presidential office, I do not believe we should attempt to fill the position of commander-in-chief with a woman just to be fair or to prove that a woman can run a country. Sisters, this is not a battle of the sexes. As women, we tell our husbands and sons and brothers and fathers that they shouldn’t not vote for a candidate because she is a woman. But at the same time, we also should not vote for a candidate simply because she is a woman. Let us not degrade the very ideal that we wish to represent.

Yes, I believe this country is ready for a woman president, but that does not mean that the first woman to run should be the first one to represent our country. This is the presidential election, and we don’t vote candidates in on a first-come, first-served basis. We should elect candidates because of what they stand for and what kind of a hopeful future they can offer our country; a country in which we should be able to tell our children regardless whether they are our daughters or sons that they can be whatever they set their dreams on.

Perhaps Hillary Clinton meets those criteria for you. If so, you should vote for her. But if you feel more aligned with another candidate, then you should not be afraid to vote for him or her. As women, we do not have an obligation to support a woman candidate just as the men in this country do not have an obligation to vote for a male candidate.

I am an idealist and would love to see a woman run this country. But at the same time, I want her to win for other reasons: morals and values I agree with. I support Senator Barack Obama because he happens to stand for what I believe in. What I think is intriguing about Obama is that, though he is black, he does not make that important in his campaign. This may at times injure the pride of some members of the black population, but he has bridged the gap between races. He is a candidate supported by blacks and whites. Before I can vote for a woman to be president, she needs to refrain from using her gender to garner support.

An accomplishment worth celebrating will take place on the day that gender and race neither hinder nor encourage our decision when we cast our vote. Only when we focus on the fundamental qualities that would make a president truly great and get past the trivial characteristics that cause tension between us will we make a great step forward as an American nation.

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