Editorial: Youth must vote on, ponder larger issues

Young voters are largely ignored by elected officials, and there
seems to be nothing on the horizon to suggest this trend will
change ““ unless young people take the lead themselves.

Because there is no single issue which appeals universally to
youth, it is difficult to get such a movement off the ground. Labor
unions have a common agenda to improve the pay and working
conditions of workers by lobbying public officials. Corporate
lobbyists are bound by their concern for business-friendly
policies.

Other groups ““ soccer moms, the elderly, or people
belonging to various ethnic communities ““ are bound by
common interests and concerns, and politicians can appeal to these
groups by tracking their needs.

But there is no agenda for young people.

Today’s college-age population is made of people whose
views are incredibly diverse ““ some are liberal, some
conservative, some hawkish, some dovish. Some are most concerned
with the environment and education, others most concerned with the
economy and tax levels.

In previous eras, rallying around one central issue had the
effect of bringing many young people into the political process.
When college students flocked to work on Eugene McCarthy’s
presidential campaign or staged massive protests at campuses around
the country, one big, overarching issue shaped the youth agenda
““ opposition to the Vietnam War. Earlier that decade,
young people were often bound by their support for the Civil Rights
movement. At UC Berkeley in 1964, students backing Barry Goldwater
and students involved in socialist organizations came together to
fight for free speech on their campus.

Young people then were among the most concerned members in
American society, and despite conventional wisdom, they still are.
It is people in their late teens and early 20s who will be most
affected by environmental degradation, massive spending debts and
social injustice ““ and they are smart enough to realize
this. Despite much talk about youth apathy, young people’s
concern is reflected in action: At Harvard University in 2001,
students took over a building until the university agreed to pay
campus workers higher wages. At UCLA a year later, student
organizations were integral in helping unionize non-student food
service workers. And this year, many students have fought
passionately against rising student fees.

But these examples ““ and others like them
““ reflect not only hope, but also the problem with youth
involvement in politics. Young people prefer to act locally, rather
than take part in the broader system whose impacts are also
important. Local involvement yields direct results, but ignoring
national and state politics can lead to damaging, long-term
policies.

Step one in the effort to avoid this disconnect is to vote.

There are many organizations dedicated to registering people to
vote. A two-day UCLA voter registration drive managed to bring in
1,500 people.

But in the end, each individual must make the decision to go to
the polls, with a certain amount of education about candidates and
issues, and cast a vote. Far too many are complacent now
““ there is no Vietnam War, or Civil Rights movement. In
fact, the war against Iraq and the issue of affirmative action seem
to split young voters as much as anyone else. These issues, unlike
some that connected young people in the past, do not have easy
answers for many people.

But isn’t that all the more reason to vote? After all, the
more confusing an issue, the more important it becomes that more
voices be heard.

This editorial is the second in a two-part series exploring
young Americans’ disconnection from the political process in
their country.