inspiration and Obama art

I am usually an outsider when it comes to major elections. I haven't voted for a major party candidate since Bill Clinton, and that was when I had *just* turned eighteen, and both the world and I were very different. I don't really believe in our two party system, and in the past have felt that the things that were important to me were never important to either of the major party candidates. I've been longing for a real grassroots candidate. It killed me to watch both Bush elections and see someone so conservative be able to 'energize the base' and make it into the white house. Why couldn't someone equally as liberal do that same thing? Why do Democrats always feel like they have to play it safe and be moderate, when their counterparts are so conservative it's scary?

But then, this election I began to notice things that made me feel like maybe this time around things were different. It started with a handmade sign down the street from where I work. I rode my bike by this house, and noticed an obviously child-made sign for Obama. And it floored me that someone could insight such excitement in a child that they would sit down and make a poster to put up in their window. It's not easy to get kids to sit still and do just anything, and I know because that's how I spend most of my time. I remember elections when I was a kid, and I would have never sat down and made a poster for anyone who was running.

I think I've mentioned before, I'm a big fan of Etsy. I love searching through all the amazing art that people make. While searching through listings on Etsy I started to notice the large amount of Obama related artwork. Patchwork skirts with the Obama logo on it. Copies of his 'Hope' posters done in oils. I am an artist, and inspiration is an amazing thing. Here were artists, being inspired to create Obama art. That's incredible.

And then the ongoing battle people in Austin have been having with people stealing their signs. People feel so strongly they've resorted to making their own signs, and even painting their lawns. The first link is right around the corner from me, and the second link is west of where I live in Austin.

So tomorrow I'm voting for Barak Obama--not just because I believe he'll reform health care, not just because he respects and wants to protect the earth and our resources, and not just because he believes in trying to solve problems with words and not weapons. I'm voting for Barak Obama because he is inspiring.