October 25, 2005
OPINIONSLegend's View:
Get involved
Those who choose not to vote and fail to follow their politicians do not deserve the right to complain!
The apathy of the college demographic, 18-24 years of age, around the nation is at an all time high, and Mesa Community College is no exception.
Students can agree there is dialogue about politics across the campuses.
“Impeach Bush.”
“Gas prices.”
“Rising tuition and cost of living.”
These are common college student gripes.
So, MCC students, what are you doing about it?
For the most part, Senator John Kerry had a lead over George Bush Jr. through the entire election of 2004 by 10 percent in the student vote.
Despite Kerry’s popularity among college students, Bush won. Students never got to the polls, proving to be all talk and no action.
While a minimum of students found interest in the last presidential elections, they are even less concerned with state and local government choices. Many of students can’t even name a few Supreme Court justices.
Around 13 million people in their 20’s in the U.S. do not have health insurance. These same people are falling through the cracks of the political system. Representation of the masses fosters change.
Two-thirds of youth voters surveyed by the National Association of Secretaries of State said politics interested them yet they felt their voice wasn’t being heard. This is the type of thinking that has sent student vote into a plummet. Young citizens have the responsibility to follow politics at a national and local level and vote responsibly.
Eighteen year olds received the right to vote in 1972. Since then the idea that “young people are to be seen, not heard” has faded into the background. Student’s votes do matter.
Politicians have to beg the college age group to get to the polls by contributing to entertainment companies to use coercive tactics.
During the 2004 elections, the campaign, Rock the Vote had every celebrity from Rickey Martin to Samuel L. Jackson to Ben Afleck talking to young people about voting.
World Wrestling Entertainment held “Smack Down Your Vote,” another angle to get young people to vote.
There is a significant effort to getting the college age population to vote in the presidential elections, but not in local elections. These elections directly affect voters quality of environment, roads, schools and jobs, however they are often overseen.
MTV’s “Choose or Lose” campaign is an exception. Their website has a search tool for visitors to punch in their zip code and view information concerning their local politicians.
While the presidential elections are over and done with, students must concern themselves with what is happening here and now.
Students need to be concerned with the type of education they are getting. If going to school and getting good grades sums up the entirety of student’s lives as a citizen they are sorely mistaken about the quality of their learning experience. Getting involved and learning about what is going on is where the real education begins.
The transition from William Rehnquist as chief justice to John Roberts is a concern students are taking lightly or not at all. Will the impact Roberts has on the lives of students only be noticed after a major decision is made?
MCC, it is up to you. Don’t waste your voice on complaining. Make it heard through your vote. You make the choice on what kind of citizen you want to be.