If you're an Obama supporter and having problems convincing your Korean parents or in-laws to vote for Obama, just let Annabel's mom do the talking for you in this video.
It's no secret that I support Obama. I co-founded MOMocrats, along with fellow Kimchi Mama Stefania, and we have put heart and soul into making sure that a Democrat is elected in November (one reason we haven't been around here much lately). This election is very personal to me. I wanted to share with you some of the reasons I am voting for Obama, even though I know that it will offend some of you who prefer not to mix parenting and politics.
I believe that the act of bringing a child into this world is a political act. I believe that it's an affirmative statement to the future that you believe enough in ourselves as a species to keep it going, and will work to make the world better. I believe that the choice you make on November 4 will be a testament to what you believe about the future and what it holds for them.
To me, the choice could not be more clear. It's a choice between moving forward and looking backwards. It's a choice between optimism and cynicism. It's a choice between the brightness of the American Dream that our parents came here seeking, and the dark stain of racism and injustice that mark our greatest failings as a nation. We have a choice between leading the world through the example of what is possible, and forcing the world into submission through violence. It's a choice between working together to solve the problems of our nation, and giving in to division and despair.
I have written here before about how my mother taught me that voting is not just a right, but a privilege. My mother grew up during the Korean War. Everything she knew as a young child was literally burned to the ground, and her family had to rebuild from ashes. She taught me that it's a privilege to live in this country, to enjoy its beauty and its bounty. My Korean mother taught me that we should never take anything for granted or for certain. She taught me that it is a privilege to take part in shaping the future in a small way, by raising our kids to be productive members of society, contributing to the economy, and by stepping up to the ballot box and casting our votes.
I have never been as involved in any election as I am in this one. I have always voted, but I haven't always cared. This time, I feel a sense of what Dr. King called "the fierce urgency of now." I feel that our nation is on the brink of a great renewal or a great disaster. I was not always an Obama supporter, but the more I know of him, the more confident I am that he can lead us toward that great revitalization, to the America that lives in the dreams of my mother and my child.
We live in troubled times, and at age 47, I am too old to expect that Obama will have all the answers. For answers, we need to look deep within ourselves, and trust that we can see the right path for ourselves and our children. The first step on that path is to vote on November 4, and elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
--Glennia. The opinions expressed here are those of the author alone, and not necessarily shared by all the Kimchi Mamas.
