The Brown & White

As the primaries and caucuses for the 2008 presidential election come and go, the topic of American politics has become much more interesting to my friends and I.

While the "cool" thing to do in recent years has been to blast President George W. Bush on his level of intelligence, the focus of our conversation is no longer trivial and the opinions expressed are no longer lacking a basis of actual facts and legitimate reasoning.

Of course, the occasional Bush joke is still fun every once in a while.

I used to be completely apathetic regarding anything political but recently, the subject has garnered more of my attention. Based on the overall state of global affairs, how could I not start paying attention?

What really enlivens me is the energy and excitement driving other people who are a part of my generation. The youth electorate this primary season has certainly shown up in full force.

Statistics have shown that so far in some states this year, the youth vote has tripled or quadrupled compared to the primaries held for the election in 2004. But the skeptics still linger.

When I attempt to get involved in political conversations with people of an older generation, I always get the feeling that adults aren't taking me seriously. They usually just tell me, "You're young, you don't really know what's going on."

But to me, the significance of simply discussing political issues at a young age should be seen as something positive against the backdrop of the general stereotypes of youth. Perhaps these kids today actually have something intelligent and important to say.

The term "blind loyalty" is constantly thrown at young voters as a way to justify their general positions. Many people in older generations tend to forget they were once my age, and while constantly referring to the past as "the good old days," people do not realize those days were when they were young.

The "good old days" weren't necessarily good, youth was! And while they were young, they most likely, or at least hopefully reacted to politics based on the state of their time period.

We, as young Americans, live in a period of global turmoil and of polarization toward our country and our opinions should not be written off simply because we have not lived long enough.

There should not be a double standard associated with youth, or "Generation Y," as we are so affectionately known. If we sit around playing Xbox 360 all day, we are useless and yet if we all rally around a political candidate, we are clueless. Apparently the only way to be an acceptable youth is if we clean our rooms and do our homework.

Something has sparked our generation into action and I find it hard to believe that none of us know what we are talking about. Cluelessness transcends generations and to condemn an entire generation of people who will eventually grow older, inherit the consequences of actions by those before them, and potentially run for president some day, is not very sensible.

In 1966, Robert F. Kennedy said, "Our answer is the world's hope; it is to rely on youth. The cruelties and obstacles of this swiftly changing planet will not yield to obsolete dogmas and outworn slogans. It cannot be moved by those who cling to a present which is already dying, who prefer the illusion of security to the excitement of danger."

Certainly those who were my age in 1966 should recognize the importance of that and how the statement still applies.

With our country's current economic situation, for example, younger voters should be concerned and engaged. We will all soon be faced with the reality of getting jobs, paying back student loans and accumulating more debt than we can handle. We will have to wave goodbye to our own "good old days." What happens now will greatly affect all of us much sooner than later.

I am very proud to be living through a time when I can be part of a generation that is getting involved and is passionate about important issues.

If we do not stay informed and take action when we are young, we won't be able to earn the right to sit around and complain about "these kids today" when we get older. But then again, what do I know? I'm just a kid.