I am an ardent Democrat and I have decided to support Barack Obama. That being said, I have not drunk the Kool-Aid. I find the essence of Obamania to be lacking in a fundamental area.

Obama talks a good talk, and I'm not at all accusing him of being without substance. He does indeed lay out his policy positions. And in sum, I believe he would make a good president, and take our country in the right direction. But when it comes to values, I find there is a huge chasm between us.

I believe we are all created equal, even gays. That means we should be afforded the same rights and privileges as straights. It also means that we aren't afraid to say so. We should talk to those with whom we disagree, but we should not compromise on core principles.

I also believe that we should stop interpreting the Second Amendment as though the Founding Fathers foresaw massacres on college campuses and in shopping malls. We must stop defending "sportsmen." I believe that, with the exception of law enforcement, we must outlaw all guns.

I also believe we must decrease our military and abolish nuclear weapons. Obama actually wants to increase the size of the military.

It's inspiring to see so many people my age become so heavily involved in an election. (They didn't get the memo that there's one every year.) But a lot of the Obamaniacs need to make sure they aren't consumed by Obama simply because he's an inspiring person. I believe he's the best candidate we have at the moment. But that does not in any way mean that I think he's America's political messiah, as some activists would have us believe.

Of course I will support my party's nominee. And of course I believe incremental change in the right direction is better than no change at all.

But when I stop watching the teary-eyed YouTube videos about how amazing Barack Obama is, it only takes a moment for me to remind myself that his values are not my own.

We need a leader who can stand up for true equality and peace. That leader is apparently not Obama.

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