The Question is: Why did you vote?

Yesterday our nation experienced a major change in the history of our nation. As a country we elected Obama to be our first black president. Yes, this is a milestone for America, but as I read the numerous articles online I have come to the conclusion that his election might have had more to do with race and gender than we, as the American public, are admitting. I can not even begin to count how many articles were praising the turnout of so many minorities for this years election. The NAACP (in their efforts to provide reverse descrimination) even argued for extended hours at the polls in low income neighborhoods where (they claim) african americans would be more likely to vote later in the evening. Even though Obama never once mentioned race during his campaign it has become painfully obvious that the American public looks at the superficial qualities of candidates such as race, gender, and age when they are making their choice for president. While we are all guilty of making assumptions about people based on their gender or race we should put these aside when we step up to make our choice on voting day. If Obama had been an older white woman with the same ideas and policies would we have seen such an overwhelming win last night? Would the American people clamor for a “sally jones” instead of a barack obama? I think not. Now, this is not a one sided argument of course. You must also look at the republican candidates. Had McCain been a black man and used the word change in every other sentence instead of discussing his real agenda then he might have won last night (….of course he would have needed to be about twenty years younger and have a male vice president). But my point is made, McCain is old, white, balding and had a vice president who was female with a large family….not exactly the American dream anymore.  And so it appears America has entered the new low of not voting because of what we believe in, but voting because we like or dislike a candidates age, race, or gender. If this continues we, as a nation, have a very sad and bleak future.