I have spent the weekend in SC visiting my folks, and have tried so hard to talk to some die-hard republican family members about Obama. At one particular family gathering, a more cynical relative said "my vote doesn't count anyway". My husband shared this story. I think it answered the question very well -
Hope in Catlett, Virginia by: Donna C.According to the Virginia Board of Elections website, Senator Obama won in Catlett, Virginia by one vote. Catlett - a small town in Fauquier County Virginia where we live, is a very conservative place. There are not a lot of Democrats here. Over the years, as our sons have watched us vote for candidates who did not win, they have often asked me whether their vote would make a difference. My response has always been, "How can you hope to change things if you don 't vote?"When the campaign came to Virginia, we signed up to volunteer with a small group called "Fauquier for Obama '08". Since people in Fauquier County do not live close enough to each other to make canvassing worthwhile, our group got permission from Giant Foods to set up a table outside. We handed out stickers, copies of Senator Obama's policy proposals downloaded from the website and obtained names and contact information from the twenty or so people who were brave enough to come up to our table in front of all of the Republicans who were shopping that day.Our son manned a table at the local community college. He got about five more volunteers and handed out stickers. He and five other students organized a commuter waive along U.S. Highway 29 where they held up signs and braved lit cigarettes, obscene gestures and spit from passing cars and where they also got thumbs-up signs, smiles, honks and waives. On Election Day our sons voted for the first time . We sat at polls, passed out more stickers, and served coffee and hot chocolate to voters.Senator Obama won Virginia by a large margin. He won Fauquier County by a smaller margin. He won Catlett, by one vote. We will never know who cast that one vote that put him over the top. But never again will my sons ask me if their vote makes a difference. They know it did.Senator Obama is winning elections because of one vote at a time. Every person who is inspired to hope that our country could ever be united or that we could have affordable health care or that we could improve educational opportunities for average folks or that we do not have to fight wars just so oil companies, the arms industry and Halliburton can make obscene profits while young Americans die too young, can make a difference. We know this because he won in Catlett by one vote.Diarists note: While Donna approves of use of this story in hopes that it will inspire other towns to work to get out the vote even if they are a strong underdog, she's very humble and says she's somewhat embarassed by all the attention the story has gotten already. She wants to me to mention that there were other families involved in this effort too- who stood in the freezing rain getting out the vote at the polls. I'm told that Rebecca Jaramillo and Bill Day were also an instrumental part of their 14 person group so they deserve a nod.What a great job from a small group of people who weren't afraid to hope despite the odds! Obama supporters from coast to coast salute you. I for one, won't forget the name Catlett, VA.
In my list of events near me, Barbara Maguire Sloss invited everyone to light a candle of hope in their window or front porch in support of Obama tonight February 11. I think this is a wonderful way to show quiet strong support - around the country!!! I am in Virginia, and my neighborhood does not allow campaign signs, but I can light my candle of hope proudly!!!
