A Grateful Candidate

2012 could be the year the United States welcomes a new president into the White House. Today marks the commencement of voting in the Iowa caucuses to determine who of the GOP presidential candidates will win the presidential nomination to face off against Barack Obama in November.

Personally, I feel like the campaigning never stops from one election to the other, but as we edge closer to the climactic election that could see President Obama winning another term or the Republican Party reclaiming the top seat, I have one burning question that will likely go unanswered . . . at least, honestly.

Of all the candidates vying for the presidency in 2012, which of them are truly grateful for America and all of her citizens?

I remember as a child having to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every morning before lessons began and I once asked my teacher why we did so. She told me that it was because I was an American and that as an American it was my responsibility to never forget what it means to be an American and what makes being an American a good thing. I've never forgotten those words:

I pledge allegiance to the flag

of the United States of America,

and to the Republic for which it stands,

one nation, under God, indivisible

with liberty and justice for all. 

Quick, simple, painless. As a nine year old, these words held little weight in terms of what was important throughout the school day, but as an adult I remember these words and feel there should be a radio commercial announcer hurriedly reading off a list of contingencies and exceptions that no child of nine years of age would understand nor pay attention to.

I say this because I believe that not all of the candidates running for president appreciate the wealth of diversity and "liberty" to exist openly and honestly without prejudice that defines the American people.  In fact, I believe that if given power to exercise their will of rule, some candidates would send this country spiraling back into a very dark place and period in time. Thankfully, such power would never be acceptably exercised by anyone of sound mind and reasoning. 

The modern day guise of "Preserving America" is tainted with fear and hate as it has been for as far back as anyone living can remember. What would you do if someone told you that the bathroom for your people was around back? Could you imagine gaining your education in an environment where everyone was required by law to look alike? Could you imagine not being able to legally marry the person you loved if they had a different complexion? What if your faith were deemed inferior to another? In the history of America, these divisive measures were once justified as valid and acceptable for the purpose of preserving America. But whose America was being preserved?

Today, America is facing similar conflicts of interest as some of our presidential candidates and elected leadership are all about preservation. But I ask again, preservation of what and on whose behalf? 

There are many Americans who happen to be poor or Gay or Muslim or Latino or disabled and even military veterans that get little to no appreciation from some of the candidates who would gladly accept their vote. Once in office they would dismissively insist that for the sake of America, you should be second tier. But I ask again, whose America is being preserved?

Personally, I want a grateful candidate; a candidate that can look from sea to shining sea and genuinely recognize ALL Americans as being worthy of equally contributing to what makes this country great, representing all of us proudly.