Did you know it's election day? I bet you didn't, did you?

Seeing as I just finished voting in my very first presidential election, I feel the need to write a somewhat political entry. No, I'm not going to tell you whom I voted for, though I imagine many of you already know. And I'm not going to tell you you're great for voting like me or you're bad for not. I'm just going to tell you about something I find sad: party voting.

I was born and raised on the Iron Range, where blue-collar work is a way of life. All DFL, all the way, baby. Of course, that's confused by the conservative tendencies that monopolize the Northland.

For example...

My grandma turns 92 later this month. She is a devout Catholic. I would even venture to say that most of her life revolves around the church and its teachings, as it does with the most devout Catholics. Catholics hate abortions. Catholics hate the thought of gay marriages. Those are the two big ones that stick out in my mind, though Catholics hate so, so many liberal benchmarks. Wait, I'm sorry. That's not right. Catholics don't hate. Catholics love, but sometimes disagreements come forth as a byproduct of their love.

Don't get me wrong. I'm a Catholic too. But I kind of consider myself a part-timer. I believe what I want and sometimes I bad-mouth the church. Shh, don't tell anyone. I don't need persecution on earth because St. Peter is so kicking my ass once I'm dead.

So where was I going with this? Ah yes, Gram's a Catholic, but she's also an Iron Ranger. Her husband worked in a mine digging up iron ore throughout the majority of his adult life. So she votes Democrat, year in and year out, without even giving a second thought to other candidates. I know, I know. She's old and the liberals help old people with their dreams of cutting prescription costs and killing HMOs. My issue is the fact that her religion is more than likely the most important aspect of her life and she goes along with everything she's told to do as a Catholic, yet she votes against what the church believes.

Call me crazy, but that's what I find sad. I think people like her, who vote for a party without looking at the issues, are uninformed. I fully support people who vote for a person who they think will best exemplify their beliefs, regardless of whom that person is. What bugs the hell out of me is people who make uninformed decisions and vote for the candidate that they think everyone else is voting for.

Maybe I should support the dear old lady's decision because she's not just voting who the church is telling her to vote for. Oh hell, I'm so confused. Either way, damn it, Grandma, you should be voting for a conservative! Would THE POPE vote for Kerry?! (If he were American, I mean.)

I hope that made at least a little bit of sense.

Vote for what's important to you, people. Whatever that may be.

Sorry, Gram.