I’m a Christian.

As a writer, I was interviewing author and speaker Tony Campolo about how affluent Christians in the suburbs might engage with the poor. I had a few ideas in my head of stuff I thought he should say—for my article. Instead, Dr. Campolo suggested that suburban Christians should make a point of connecting, personally, with an urban church. Which seemed like a tall order when they’re already sort of occupied running around to soccer practices and piano lessons and cotillion. Around election time, Campolo suggested, invite folks who live in the inner-city to speak in suburban churches about how they’ll vote, and their reasons why.

It was not at all the sound byte I was after. Which was sort of disappointing.

Before I knew it, though, I’d said thank-you and hung up the phone, stuck with whatever I’d scribbled down on a scrap of paper.

Here’s the thing, though—that whole idea started to grow on me.

Thankfully, I already live in an urban neighborhood. So I didn’t really have to invite anybody anyplace. I just had to…remain conscious. Which felt doable to me.

After speaking with Dr. Campolo I started to notice that yard after yard after yard on my street had an OBAMA sign in it. Mentally, I filed this away. Though the suburbanish church I attend avoids pulpit politics—which I’m confident is for the best—I heard from a neighbor that the message from the pulpit of the Baptist Church around the corner from my home was pretty blatantly Obamian. Duly noted.

Basically, what I started to learn from my inquiry was that a bunch of poor folks in North Carolina were voting for Barack Obama.

In my book, that’s worth something.

Hear me: I’m not recommending this logic across the board. If you live in a neighborhood with impoverished KKK members who post colorful yard signs, just walk away.

I do think that Jesus was terribly concerned with the needs and concerns of the poor. I’m not going to pull the WWJD card and suggest that Jesus would vote for Barack Obama. I’m not certain he wouldn’t, but I just wouldn’t stoop to doing that weird insulting thing.

Bottom line: With love and respect for the neighbors which are mine, I plan to join them by casting my vote on election day for Barack Obama.

-Margot Starbuck in NC