This column is about politics. Ironically, the people who saw that dreaded word and rolled their eyes are the people I have a message for: it’s time for us as a generation to start caring about what goes on in our nation’s capital.
The fact is, too many people our age have no idea what’s going on politically, and many of those who do, don’t care.
I understand why; politics can be boring, confusing and, more times than not, frustrating. There are no unbelievable dunks, catches or hits like in sports. There’s no action like in movies. There’s no sensationalized drama like in TV shows. But it’s important nonetheless, because it’s something that actually affects us.
What happens in Washington, D.C., has an impact on our everyday lives. Everything from our jobs to our education to our security and much more is decided by the people who we choose to decide it for us. Now that we are of voting age, that impact is even larger.
I don’t know about you, but adulthood is hitting me much faster than I would like it to. It’s comforting to know that I at least have a say, however small it is, in the present and future state of the society around me.
As kids and teenagers, we grew up accepting what the nation would become based on our parent’s decisions. We accepted that real adults, who understood the abstract world of politics, would decide our circumstances. But we cannot continue to think like this. If our generation realized that its voice can make a difference, then we can get Washington to listen to us.
Our generation has issues that are specific to us right now such as student loan reform or minimum wage, and they are downplayed in the election process due to the fact that we don’t vote as much as other age groups. Many politicians campaign to the elderly or middle age generations because they vote the most. The most prominent issues that are discussed are ones that affect those generations.
If we use our voices, then we can get our issues circulating.
What scares me even more than the fact that people our age aren’t politically active is the fact that those inactive people still have strong opinions. These opinions come from our parents or our hometowns, and sound good to us because we don’t know any better. Although nobody will ever be able to be totally unbiased, being politically active and seeking as much information as possible will lead us to making the best decision for ourselves.
