(If the link works, you can see it posted at the @15 website, here.
A Great Time to be in the Mile-High City
If we've learned anything from the Olympic games, it's probably that the weight of the world watching one city is a heavy yet important burden to bear. The Democratic National Convention must live up to this lesson, though maybe on a smaller scale. It's no small burden that much of the country will be watching both Denver and Minneapolis this summer as the presidential candidates are officially nominated. But, some people are still asking, why are these conventions important? After all, we already know who the candidates will be - it's no secret that McCain and Obama will face off this fall. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who didn't know about it. But the convention's importance lies in its history. These conventions have been held every four years since 1832, no small amount of time. Each convention year, a city in the nation is chosen for political followers and politicians to descend upon. It's rare, however, that we get an election like this one, one that is so close, has so much riding on it, and carries so much excitement. Decision '08 is truly a landmark election. Its historic nature dates back to the caucuses and primaries which were held earlier than ever before, to the vast field of candidates that took months to narrow down, to the time it took to choose the final contenders. Most importantly, it's fueled by the final candidates themselves. Barack Obama has inspired more young people than ever to care about politics; while John McCain has the older, set-in-stone voters ready to defend the White House. And so, we now face an election that could produce the first African American President in the history of this country, or finally give McCain a chance to be the oldest President we've ever elected.
Of course, of all the years, this is the year that Denver has been chosen to play a part. Herein lies the true root of all my excitement. Going into the convention, I know I don't play a large role. I can't even vote in the election, and it's the same with most of my friends. Why, then, is there a Facebook group from my high school which has declared their choice of President? Why are there multitudes of squealing students who are overjoyed to be spending a few days at the DNC? Because it's momentous and we all know it. We know what we are a part of and we're proud of it. Personally, the excitement comes simply from having the opportunity to play a part - any part. It's the chance to say to my grandchildren that I was there - I was at the DNC in 2008. It's the chance to represent and to witness; to learn and to teach. It's an amazing opportunity and I feel privileged to participate.
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