As young people in politics, we hear it all – we’re not experienced enough, we’re naive, we should listen to our elders, we shouldn’t show them the error of their ways. At the same time, we get the message that we’re the future, we’re bright, we’re innovative, changing the world doesn’t pay enough – we should drop the ideology and get a “real career”. We’ve all been there. But our current political system is good at disenfranchising young voters and young activists, and we need to do some serious changes to make political awareness, voting, discussion and engagement part of our national culture and young people will be at the forefront.
I know that my (non-political) friends look at me like I’m crazy when I mention I’m going to somewhere to rally for a candidate. “But politicians are all sleazy/corrupt/out of touch” is a common refrain. In this I challenge those young people who have seen the politics of older generations and become skeptical to go out and talk to your legislators. Some are genuinely nice, and caring. Some want the power, the money, the evening tv coverage. For those latter group, I challenge you again: take them out. Politics and attitudes will never change if you don’t take some interest in changing the system, and removing the corrupt players.
Changing the system is not that hard. Many people were energized by the Obama campaign, but I challenge you to start locally. A local school board race probably has much more impact on the daily lives of the young activists (after all, we’re the ones both in school and thinking about having children who will need these schools) and what is taught, from evolution to sex ed is decided by these local groups of people. These under-the-radar races can be changed by just a few votes – those that you can win by talking to your friends at the bar, your coworkers, or knocking a few doors in your neighborhood. A few hours and little to no money, and you’ve just influenced what you or your siblings are hearing in their classrooms. The presidential election may be sexier – but a school board election could be what’s standing between you and your classmates getting an education or a waste of time.
To the older party: listen to us! When everyone is pointing fingers between the state parties, the DCCC, the DSCC, the DNC – we’re holding out on missing a bigger point. There’s failures all around, between candidates saying the wrong thing, between lack of support and general political crap-flinging, we’re creating a younger generation that is extremely skeptical about politics. With the larger organizations, the ‘established’ organizations – youth are not a caucus to shuffle aside, not a radical generation who will be “tempered with age” – we’re living these issues just as much as anyone else, and our voices are just as important as anyone else. (In fact, with the rates of 20-somethings without health insurance, you could go so far as to say we’re living this particular issue more than anyone else!) Yes, it’s scary when someone challenges your established dogma/purpose statement/platform. But life is scary – and these organizations were not founded by people who were happy with being told “wait your turn”. Remember your beginning, your roots – it’s not about what “wave” people are, if they’re for or against marriage rights. Quit trying to score personal points when the details are irrelevant – we’re here to work together to make this world a better place for everyone: a cleaner environment, education, thriving instead of surviving, social justice. These aren’t buzz words, they aren’t talking points – they’re real issues that we’re facing every day, just as much as any other generation. So listen up. When we tell you that we can’t afford college, that we can’t afford health care, we’re sick of our friends and classmates dying in Iraq – take it seriously.
Instead of cable news and constantly running media streams and score keeping, let’s have a constructive national debate. Instead of pictures of fetuses and talking points of “condoms for kindergartners”, let’s talk about sex ed, contraception, and abortion. (Kids have sex. Even if they’ve taken abstinence pledges. Let’s make sure they’re healthy, safe, and in healthy relationships, and acknowledge their own bodily sovereignty and ability to make their own decisions.) Let’s talk about the environment, and the amount of revenue and jobs that could be created in our own state with wind farming. (If people put up with dangerous, dirty oil pumps on their land for extra revenue, I’m sure they can learn to live with a wind mill.) Let’s talk about health care, and our own friends who need it, our friends who are being shot at in wars abroad and in our own neighborhoods, our college education at the cost of a mortgaged future.
To my own generation: take a chance on politics. Work local, make a difference. To the older generations, to the political organizations: Listen to us! Take a chance, go outside your comfort zone, push politicians to take a stand. To everyone: Engage. Don’t get offended, be willing to listen, to explain, to not compromise but instead work together to find an innovative solution that meets everyone’s needs. We can’t continue with this current political system – we’re already broke, sick, and losing our jobs. We need to quit digging this hole and start climbing out. What’s your role going to be?
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