Change, change, change

...but who is the best candidate for change? Selecting the next President has never felt so exciting and frightening at the same time.

I turned 18 during an election year...the first Clinton year. I waited my entire life to VOTE! Voting was a way to change the world. So my first election night came and I stood outside in the cold for an hour waiting for my turn to cast a vote. And then in that moment I stood in fear. Fear that my decision could be wrong and that the United States would have to pay for that decision. Punching a hole into a piece a paper could ultimately change history. I was so young, crazy and idealistic. Standing up for something, voting to create change, voicing and debating concerns to all who could hear. I believed in all of those ideas and hope to continue until my last ballet is cast.

So here we are in 2008 and the democratic party has decided to take a leap forward. The decision of the next democratic candidate will ultimately be made between nominating a Woman or an African-American. In a time that women continue to be paid less then their male peers, Hilary Clinton is showing that women can aim for the top. Barack Obama proves that equality should be applicable to ALL human beings while stories such as Jena Six continue to top the news. I am so proud to live in the United States and support people like our two candidates who embrace the idea that this IS the land of the free and that EVERYBODY has endless potential.

It takes courage to step out of the norm and put yourself in a place where criticism and judgement are constant. Regardless of the final outcome, Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama have shown their courage and passion for change. Unfortunately, these two candidates are rarely described by their politics. Barack Obama has a "blue print" that describes his inspiring political views and election promises. http://www.barackobama.com/issues/ Hilary Clinton's campaign http://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/ discusses her beliefs and bold statements of change. Both of these websites give fantastic information that describes the "whole" candidate...not just gender and race.

I am clearly a democrat so I admit that I didn't discuss the "other" candidates. But I believe in standing up for the things that are important and I believe that the two primary democratic candidates stand for issues that pertain to me and the world I hope to live. Read, learn and be informed about the leader of our country. Dream, hope and rejoice for the potential for changing the "President of the United States" image. But the most important thing that each and every person should do...VOTE! This is your opportunity to give back, stand up, speak out and make a difference. This is the chance that every person 18 years and older has to create history and define a new era.