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Volume CXXXII, Number 1 |
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Do we still value politics?
MELISSA HUDSON
CONTRIBUTOR
With America's War on Terrorism, nasty corporate scandals, and the election of 2000 in the back of everyone's mind, it is not surprising to find that a recent Harvard study on the attitudes of college students done by Erin Ashwell (et al), showed that of the students currently enrolled in college 69 percent believe that community volunteerism is the best way to address national problems; only 27 percent believe in the power of political engagement.
In the last presidential race, this was obvious, with the lowest turnout of 18 to 24 year-olds in the history of presidential elections. This is a staggering statistic, considering people in this age bracket make up one third of the eligible voting population. Those who crunch these numbers have concluded that members of the millennial generation just don't care about the issues that plague our nation. They have written us off as dead weight to our civic society. Their sentiments are well taken but egregiously flawed.
Members of the millennial generation volunteer at higher rates than any other generation, including those of the greatest generation. This strange phenomenon of beliefs is known to most as the "service gap". Almost 90 percent of college students believe that volunteering in the community is more productive than political involvement.
Young people today do care, but they don't see the connection between what they see happening in their communities and what they see happening in our capital. The connections between politics and community have been hidden from clear view, and because of this, many of today's youth have lost faith in our political system. This is a dangerous situation for us all. The reality is that every bit of community service that is performed by this generation is specifically linked to a piece of public policy made by those who either don't care, who are led by their own special interest, or those who have lost their original idealism to fight for social change. As a generation that obviously cares about the condition of our nation, we must step up and lead it into a new era of leadership. Where are all the real politicians? I would argue that they are either working for your local non-profit, homeless shelter, or close closet. They are the ones on your college campus who can't seem to sit still on the issues that affect our greater society. This generation is not short on concern or leadership and is able to lead our nation further. This is made obvious through organizations like AmeriCorps, City Year, and most specifically United Leaders. United Leaders's sole mission is to "inspire our generation, the Millennials, to pursue honorable careers in political service by involving them in politics as a means for social change." They aspire to connect 18-24 year olds with the tools, resources, support, and network necessary for them pursue careers in political service. Their goal is to inspire a generation of United Leaders dedicated to revitalizing American politics." Once barriers of entry into politics, such as those that are financial and our own generational disenchantment, for young, virtuous leaders is addressed and eliminated through groups such as this, then we will be able to tell those who are truly motivated to bring about change from those whose motives are to promote self and special interest. However, until the time arises when we can see our political leaders for what they really are, I have this one special request- Will all the real politicians please stand up?