Barry O'Brien

I'm sorry mom (and dad), but my name can be kind of a pain.  I feel for Barack Obama.  My name has brought me what I would consider a fair amount of trouble/annoyance in my short life (because of the pronunciation issues), but obviously not nearly as much as Barack's.  But what is your name?  It's just what people call you...it doesn't say anything about you.  My name certainly doesn't say that I'm Swedish or obviously even that I'm from India.  So why do some people read unintended meaning into the name Barack Obama's family gave him (which is an African name)?  He may as well have been named Barry...and his middle name is a family name!  Don't you know like 10 people who have been named after a relative?  

I didn't even vote for Obama, but I feel bad about what is happening to him in this campaign. There are too many out-and-out lies being thrown around, and they could easily be set right by even just going to wikipedia.  First of all,  I happen to have some friends who are Muslims and it is NOT okay with me that they are being marginalized in this way.  And what's even more ridiculous is that Barack Obama isn't even Muslim (as if that would be such an awful thing!).  How can someone on one hand be associated with a radical Christian leader and on the other hand be "accused" of being of a completely different faith?  Barack Obama is a Christian- if that matters to you.  

If you care about where this country is going and have the same values as Mr. Obama, I think a vote in his direction is a good way to go.  I would've voted for him, but for the fact that we don't agree in the area of Gay Rights.  At least do yourself the service of checking into where he stands on the basic issues by visiting his site at: Barack Obama: the Issues

It'll take 5 minutes, but it's a decision that will last at least 4 years.