It began as another of our bi-annual trips to visit my parents in northern Indiana, home of my family since 1977. What distinguished this trip from all previous ones was Barack Obama — or rather, my (usually Republican) mother’s fervent desire to see him elected.

I grew up in the small town of Valparaiso, a quiet, college town east of Chicago by one hour’s drive. At my mom’s urging, my husband and I canvassed acres of homes along various county roads in northern Indiana.

As we drove from acre lot to acre lot, serenaded by constant mooing from a local cattle farm, I realized why it is so important for leaders-to-be and presidents-to-be to spend time knocking on doors and listening to those of us who aren’t accessible by subway, freeway, or taxi. As folks shared their concerns about one or both candidates, I kicked myself for ever doubting that an Asian American now living in LA could feel at home talking politics with Hoosier retirees and homesteaders.

The word “canvassing” has always sounded technical to me, as if I were studying the lay of the land with objective, without sentiment. Pulling up poll after poll, it is easy to imagine our home states as black and white/red and blue (you get the idea), or as litmus tests of the various economic/military/international events that have recently caught our attention. In reality, some of those reds living in red country are awfully torn. Like the school bus driver we met who has voted Democrat all her life, but may not vote at all this time around, unless she is assured that one day soon, her life of scrimping from paycheck to paycheck, disability check to disability check, will change.

Back home again in Indiana, it certainly seems easy to see why this election is so important. Sure we all want our candidate to win. And Indiana may indeed stay mostly red as it has for many years. But I have learned that people can and do change. I never thought I’d find myself canvassing a town I’d spend years trying to leave. Heck, I never thought my mother would vote for a Democrat.

– Marybelle Ang-Dutta

Posted by gautam on Tuesday, September 30th, 2008 at 9:26 pm.