Allowances

(Note: This is my daughter's letter to Obama, which included a donation to his campaign.)

March 18, 2008

Dear Barack Obama,I would like to start off with this note: fantastic job on your speech today. "Worthy of President Lincoln," as Chris Matthews said. It's nice to see that someone is actually standing up for unity in this country. After all, isn't that what this country was built on? Uniting many diverse cultures and people to make one nation? That was how this country was created. I am very grateful.

Secondly, I would like to say without prevarication, I hope you are the next President of the United States and that I believe you will be. You have given many Americans hope that people really aren't as divided as some people suggest, that we really are one nation. I may only be fourteen years old, but I can certainly tell what prejudice and segregation has done to humans. I mean, just look at what has happened in our country for the past 7 years. Our country was becoming more and more and more divided.

Then you came along.

Politicians were not meant to be sneaky or power-hungry, and you are neither of those things, a great politician. The government was made to serve the people, and I honestly think that is what you want to do. Serve the people, unite the people, stand up for the people. That is what the very core of you is made up of. Essentially, that is you.

To be fair, I do think that the democratic candidates you were competing with really did want to help the people as well, especially at the beginning of the campaign. Sadly, power reared its ugly head again, and now they are controlled by a lust for power. It is quite strange, because I would not think someone running for President of the United States would be power hungry. I think your opponent is, and that is what made me decide to support you, instead of Senator Clinton.
Just to let you know what really matters to me, here are a few things:

1- The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan 2- The economy in the United States (and the rest of the world) 3- Health care 4- Global warming 5- The United States' foreign policy

And, most importantly, division in America and throughout the world. I think we could probably solve all the problems in the world -- if we just worked toward and succeeded at getting unity first. To be candid, I think it is perfectly stupid and ignorant to be distracted and divided by race. When I say that, I mean it is stupid to judge someone based on what color skin they have. Prejudice in general...that's something that matters to me. My extended family is, like your own, a wonderful mixture of colors and backgrounds.

"Prejudice is the child of ignorance," and prejudice and ignorance are some of the biggest causes of failure I have seen. I do not care if you are a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, from the Green Party. I do not care if you are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, or any other form of religion. I do not care if you are black, white, red, yellow, or blue. All I see when I look at a person is just that: a person. I'm not saying it doesn't matter where you come from or who you are; obviously it does. You should be proud of the person you are. It helps each of us contribute to your family, your school, your community, and your country. That’s why I am writing this: because my sister (age 10) and I want to contribute to your campaign. We have saved our allowances, and want to be part of your campaign.

One last note: please, talk more about how to end the war in Iraq, and bring the US soldiers home.

Candidly yours,