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Where is Americas youth??
By Camille McCraw - Posted on February 19th, 2007
Tagged: Take Action
• News and politics
In the United States everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion. There have been many groups that have fought for the right to have a say in the government of our great nation; these groups include African-Americans, woman, and veterans of the Vietnam war who were under the age of 21. In 1971, the Constitution was amended to allow citizens age 18 years and older the right to vote. It was concluded that if these people were old enough to die for their country, then they should have the right to have a voice in the government. However, today the amount of voters age 18-25 is the lowest it hs been since 1971. Why is this? As a young person in America I want to be heard, I want to be treated as an adult not a child, but our voter turn out is showing that we should be taken seriously. Young people are very quick to criticize what is going on in the world, but they are not willing to give up a minimal amount of time to cast a vote for the people that they think will support ideas similar to their own. Campaigns such as MTV's "Rock the Vote" or Diddy's "Vote or Die" were enacted to encourage the young adults of America to voted during the 2004 presidental elections, but sadly percentages didnt not make a significant rise. WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE? We are the future of America, and how can we possibly run a nation if we cant even handel the reponsibility of voting.
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College campuses giving their students a day off so they could go vote? Also, colleges should have "candidate education programs", previewing to the students the stances of the presidential candidates. I can't really think of anything else.
I don't think its necessary for college campuses to give days off, to be honest i think that would be couter productive. Most people will say oh we have a day lets get drunk. There needs to be an incentive for college people to vote, people don't think that they are being heard and they just throw away their vote by not voting. Politicians do a great job ignoring us so people automatically assume there is no point in voting. I personally vote every election and I was cheering when the Democrates took control of the house and senate again. Thats enough satisfaction for me.
I think in order to get more youth to vote we need to stop perpetuating the idea that todays youth are the future of America, and educate young people that their votes matter TODAY. Providing better education on the canidates would also help voter turn out, not just for youth, but for all ages.
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"If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?"
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." - Marianne Williamson