by DELIA TOMINO NAKAYAMA

Greetings all! Thank you for tuning in again, and I hope you are enjoying the change in season. It is wonderfully cool in New Orleans now, and the flowers are blooming a bit again as they did in the spring, happy for respite from the heat.

I write this a bit early, so I am sure more bizarre, hair-curling events will happen between now and when this column comes out...

The New Orleans Times Picayune boldly announced a turn in the political and financial landscape on the front page today: “House Rejects Bailout Plan.” Who can guess what’s coming next? Well, one thing’s for sure: I am going to vote in November.

Even though there’s no guarantee that the coming presidential election won’t be rigged, I still have to try. What if the votes will be honestly counted and I miss my chance to be heard?

And though I am not convinced that the Democrats are that much holier than the Republicans (a politician is a politician), I think we have had enough of one thing for a while.

I urge you to vote, and to do some research beforehand. I am guilty of winding up in a voting booth confronted with all sorts of names and posts and having no idea what any of the people stood for...! How embarrassing, but most importantly how unfortunate for the candidates!

It’s hard to know which politician/s possess that magic word “integrity” (or if Any of them do) but we have to consider who will cause the least amount of damage.

Many people — including Republicans — would agree that President Bush has created an almost insurmountable mountain of problems, all to be served up to the next president. Heaven help the man or woman who has to clean up his mess!!!

I think what we have to consider when we vote is, who is going to give America back its sense of hope and pride. Who is going to have any chance at redeeming a nation that has suffered the financial and emotional effects of a protracted war in the Middle East, experienced and witnessed the heartless neglect of New Orleanians during Hurricane Katrina and now as a final home-run in a list of other unmentioned obscenities, the Wall Street swindle.

Carefully consider who you think is up for the job. I am willing to be open to the idea that Barack Obama is not the strongest candidate and will explore both possibilities.

But I was disturbed to hear that John McCain said he was tortured in Vietnam and that the Vietnamese government denied it. Regardless of who is telling the truth, it doesn’t make me comfortable to hear the conversation as an Asian American. Yes, there are larger issues, but I am coming from where I am coming from, and so is everyone else... So it will be interesting to see where the chips land.

That said, the idea that this election is about race or gender is ludicrous to me. If an Asian American woman were running for president and I didn’t agree with her politics, would I vote for her just because she’s a fellow Asian and a woman? Heck, no! Ideology (through action, not words) and competency are the bottom lines.

If Barack Obama can fulfill our dreams, Lord, it will be a miracle. We certainly need one at this point! And if he is successful as president, the fact that he is a mixed blood of African descent could help heal our very wounded race-relations.

I do see the possibility of change if he is elected. It won’t be an easy ride for him, but it seems like he is doing his best to speak to all Americans and at this point, unity is the only thing that will save us.

I said this a long time ago in a column, and I’ll repeat it again today: All ethnic groups in America can gauge the level of racism present in the country based on how African Americans are treated. As Asian Americans, I believe we should consider what the impact of having a competent person of color in the White House would have on us...

Again, it boils down to deeds done and integrity, not race. But it would definitely help people of color if Obama proves to be a man of his word and acts on sound principles as president.
So off to the polls I’ll go, with hope in one hand and skepticism in the other.

I remember a quote I read on the bathroom wall at Cafe Mediterraneum on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley back in the early ’90s:

“Voting in this empire is the solace of fools.”

So despite my active participation in the process of electing the president etc., I must admit that piece of graffiti has stuck in my mind all these years...

Good luck with your vote!