So it’s come to this.

A nation of immigrants – from England to Mexico - stands at the door of history waiting to discover whether we will continue the work of spreading opportunity and democracy to the far reaches of the globe or shrink away to a corner of political estrangement.

Come this Election Day, a course of action will be set in motion that undoubtedly could affect the education of your children, the pension plans of your parents, the health insurance coverage for your spouse and the money in your own wallet.

To the first-time voter, this election could possibly determine the outcome of the Iraq War, whether our brothers and sisters will continue nation building in the Middle East or if they will return home to their families to help shore up our own infrastructure when disasters like Hurricane Katrina strike.

In essence, that simple piece of paper – the voting ballot – will act as the steer on a gigantic ship, setting direction for Brevard County, our state and the nation for the next two years.

And on whose shoulders does this grand burden of decision-making stand? Yours.

However you look at, this year’s mid-term election that will choose our next senator, governor and legislators will be an important one for the U.S.’s 42 million strong Hispanic community.

Yes, your voice will count and yes, your vote – whether on Election Day or by absentee ballot - will have an impact. Indeed, this is your future, one that can let others understand that Hispanics are involved with the political process.

Some of the issues facing the Hispanic community in recent months have been painful. Hundreds of thousands of Hispanic took to the street to air out opinions on issues as far ranging as Immigration – think the guest worker proposals for an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants or the debate over whether to build a fence on the Texas border with Mexico – to the war in Iraq.

In Palm Bay, Hispanic citizens who work to support this suburban hub of over 100,000 with their taxes watched as the city council – an elected body – voted down a controversial and divisive ordinance that targeted people who hired undocumented workers. Many considered it an insult but understood that move could have had lasting impact on Hispanics not just in our city but nationwide.
But in a show of democracy hundreds of people – many of them Hispanics - turned out for the August council meeting and made their strong voices heard.

No fewer than 68 people took to the podium, calmly expressing their dismay at the council’s action. Outside the city hall, people carried signs, spoke on camera to reporters and helped shatter the misconception that many have of Hispanics.

The American Civil Liberties Union, the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center and the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund turned out and promised to work with Hispanics who saw the damage many predicted this ordinance would have.

Now those same people and others must carry on activism in the voting booth. Now on Election Day comes the sequel. And while no Palm Bay city councilmen are up for reelection, consider it a practice run as you examine the viewpoints of other candidates who will head to Tallahassee or Washington D.C. to decide your fate.

Think about health care as you clutch that ballot.
Studies show that Hispanic children are more likely than their white counterparts to have health insurance – 21 percent compared to 7.4 percent, according to statistics from the Pew Hispanic Center.

Think about your economic situation when you clutch that pen to mark in your choice.

The Hispanic community in this country controls a $700 billion share of the economy, that means your Cousin Jorge and Aunt Maria are taxpayers and should definitely have a say about the issues affecting them.

And as usual, Florida is leading the nation in understanding this fact as Hispanics here continue to contribute economically, socially and culturally to the state.

Now it is time, whether you are Democrat or Republican to focus those political viewpoints in the ballot booth. That is the beauty of America.

The tree of liberty need not be freshened with the blood of revolution but instead can be changed in an instant with the ink of a pen.

One stroke can empower a people, draw attention to the plight of the poor or grant a community a chance to foster economic opportunities while strengthening representation.
Hopefully, by nightfall on Nov. 7 – the nation’s general election - millions in the U.S. will get a clearer picture about where it is that our future lies. The 21st century is at hand. Voting is your voice. Voting is your strength.
Where you stand along the political spectrum, hard right, soft middle or far left, it doesn’t matter. What counts is what you do with your one moment in time to change history.

Don’t let this precious moment pass you by.