Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton each have a chance to make history, and I couldn’t care less.

Seriously, I hope a black woman will be elected to the presidency soon so I don’t have to endure the countless news reports about gender or race in the future.

With all the buzz around both Democratic candidates’ unique attributes, we miss what is really unique about the two of them: their platforms.

Yes, those seemingly meaningless positions on abortion or health care generally don’t make front page headlines, but they are extremely important when looking at these candidates from a voter’s vantage point.

What is the difference between voting for Barack Obama because he is black and refusing to vote for Barack Obama because he is black? The former action is generally described as being loyal to one’s culture, while the latter is generally described as blatant racism.

These two actions, while completely opposite, still bring about the same result: a very misinformed voting decision. Barack Obama has a lot more going for – and against – him than his race.

According to The Boston Herald’s Web site, “Obama opposes reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind law until it undergoes reform. Supports merit pay for ‘master teachers,’ but opposes merit pay for teachers based on test outcomes.”

He also only has two years of experience in the U.S. Senate. These reasons to vote or not vote for Barack Obama are far more important than his race.

This issue extends beyond just Obama and Clinton as well. Believe it or not, Chuck Norris’ support of Mike Huckabee does not have any direct correlation with how viable a presidential candidate he is.

It is easy to get caught up in everything the media focuses on, but doing so does not help anyone. Patriotism not only encompasses supporting our troops, it also means making an informed voting decision.

If you plan on voting this year without knowing what a candidate stands for, please do the rest of us a favor and refrain.