Every time I pick up a newspaper, fire up Google News or hear someone talking about politics, his name always comes up.

Obama.

And here’s the strange thing: people are excited about him. College people.

What?

Why are there so many college kids who are suddenly taking such a passionate stance on the presidential election? Why now, of all times? In high school, I was told that college students were all too commonly apathetic and indifferent when discussions came to politics.

However, things seem to a bit different this time around. I mean, this doesn’t seem to be an anti-abortion (women’s rights haters) vs. pro-choice (baby killers) cutthroat debate like the 2004 elections. This time it’s deeper than people taking turns at throwing punches infused with hegemonic values at each other.

I swear, I was going to jump out the third floor window of my school if kids kept on arguing about gay marriage and abortion.

Now, we have IMPORTANT issues to worry about: climate change, U.S. deindustrialization, national medical care and the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

And apparently, most college kids whom I know tend to feel like Obama is numero uno to lead the way for the U.S.A.

I’ve met five students who have openly announced they will vote for McCain.

Big difference there, especially when compared to the droves of kids who are already (and have been) in Obama’s camp.

But it only makes sense. No offense to McCain, but how well can a guy like him relate to trendy college students who were raised on rock n’ roll and who are being educated in predominantly liberal atmospheres?

I didn’t vote for McCain in the primaries. And I won’t vote for McCain in the main election. Quite frankly, I like Obama a bit more, and his stance on the issues falls more into line with the way I see things.

But here’s the controversial part: I’ll feel guilty if I don’t vote for him. Yup. I feel I have a deep moral obligation to vote for Barack Obama, the first African-American to make it to the final tier of the presidential race.

Why? Because he’s not Caucasian.

In middle school and high school, my fellow (Caucasian) students and I were all thoroughly versed on the atrocities African-American people have suffered over the past hundreds of years, planting the seeds in our heads to prevent racism from manifesting itself in our nascent minds.

And as a result of such politically-correct, ethnicity-aware education, Obama stands out in my mind as a viable vessel to partially rectify the horrible injustices faced by African-American people in the past and present, as well as those inequities they will face in the future.

Yup. This is a prime example of my emotions getting the better of me. Although my emotions tell me to vote for Obama because he’s not some fat, white, bald guy who wants to start wars everywhere (I’m not referring to McCain), my logical mind tells me that I should be voting for Obama if I think he’s the better candidate to lead our nation, regardless of what color his skin is.

Don’t get me wrong; I think it would be a huge step forward for truly equal rights in our nation if we elect an African-American president.But that shouldn’t be a deciding factor in determining whom we, as citizens, choose to vote for. Myself included.

So, I’m going to vote for Obama. I think he is in a better position to help our nation to adapt to the troubles we are currently facing ” and I like his last name. Obama.

OK, sorry. That’s irrelevant. I will vote for Obama not because of what my emotions tell me to think, but for what my logical mind produces as being logical.

I just hope he can lower those food prices. My beloved cake is ridiculously expensive right now… I want some cake.

– Respond to Levi at [email protected].