Vote for Obama...cause he's black

I went shopping with my sister yesterday. They had an amazing sale of J Crew items. While not being a shopper (I detest shopping. Get me in then out as quickly as possible), I admitted to my sister that this was an opportunity not to be missed. While the cashier was ringing our items, she kept making ignorant comments which I was trying my best to ignore. And then right before we were done, she said "I'm sure I don't need to ask who you're voting for." Luckily for her, my sister was turned away on the phone and did not hear that comment. Lets just say that my sister does not suffer fools easily. At first, I just stared at her not really comprehending what the heck she was talking about. And then it hit me. Why does whom I vote for have to be a racial thing? Did that mean that she was voting for McCain because he's white?! Well, I told her, nicely and patiently, that I was looking at the campaigns and the policies of each candidate to make an informed and confident decision. She did not reply. I don't know why and to be honest, I did not care. I cannot stand to be reduced to a skin that just happens to be black. Why is my mind or my heart dismissed? I do get a lot of ignorant comments, and most of the time I understand that it's a lack of knowledge on their part. And that they need to be educated. It does not mean I am not annoyed or hurt sometimes by these comments. I do NOT have to do, like, or say certain things because I happen to be black. I love who I am and my skin goes with it. But my skin is just a piece of me. It is NOT a definition of who I am.