In 2000, 2002, and even 2004, any viewer of MTV nearing the month of November would be witness to numerous get-out-the-vote commercials, encouraging the youth of the United States to vote. Despite efforts of neo-liberal organizations, youth voting has seen no significant climb in the post-Clinton-era political landscape. Sad, some may say. However, as this 22-year old sips back a strawberry daiquiri and listens to some reminiscent tunes from Rage Against the Machine, a sigh of relief can be heard near the keyboard between the ranting voice of Zack de la Roche. The fact that the youth are revolting... but not voting... is the one thing that might save this nation. Oh... and when I say that the youth are revolting, I mean revolting to NOT be a synonym of rebelling.Failed education system
A simple trip down memory lane (ok, it wasn't THAT long ago) to visit my old university serves as a strong reminder as to why I, as a recent college graduate, hope that twentysomething voting continues to disappoint. Today, the youth have the worst understanding of the political system, political issues, history, and political philosophy in our nation's 230 year lifetime. Not to mention, the quality of the individuals has dropped to unsightly lows. The youth of today are not the strapping young men and bright young women of the 1920's. Unfortunately, those born in the 1980's are poised to become the greatest failures this nation has ever seen. It starts in the classroom.
Never before has the public school system done so little with so much. Blame it on what you want, but there has been a definite decline in the education system since the removal of God in the 1960's. Shortly after God left, quality teachers seem to have left as well. I can remember only a handful of decent teachers that I had in high school, and even less that I had at University. Why? These teachers are the hippie stoners and disco-drug freaks of the 60's and 70's. Our education system is full of burn-outs and invalids... and I'm not just talking about the students. Teacher unions have proven to be the ultimate job protection for drug addicts and alcoholics. In fact, I keenly remember a biology teacher at my high school who routinely sexually harassed girls, and was reported numerous times, to no avail. Upon a little inspection, he still teaches there today. Girls in low-cut shirts, expect the next seating chart to place you in the front of the class!
Learning from What?
Beyond the school system, however, the children of today have just overall lower character AND intelligence. I don't consider myself overly intelligent, but just smart enough to make 99% of my peers look like disabled goats by comparison. Unfortunately, the youth of the present believe that simply by finding agreement, they've proven their beliefs. Agreement isn't hard to find in a heard of sheep, however. Never before have youth been so confident of what they believed in, yet so completely incoherent in articulating valid facts and logic to defend their points. They've learned politics from Jon Stewart, philosophy from reading the cliff-notes of 1984 or something Nietzsche, and ethics and morality from watching Will and Grace. They've learned talent from Meg White, and they've learned the art of documentary from Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 911, and whatever the next disastrously dishonest partisan-hack-in-a-movie-theatre comes out by Michael Moore. They've learned foreign policy and U.S. History from Noam Chomsky, and Religion from the Da Vinci Code and the Priest sex abuse scandals.
These youths know nothing of valid political discourse. They don't understand the political process, the Constitution, the definition of a democratic republic, or the history of the direct election of U.S. Senators. They don't understand (and despise) the electoral college, they think that Bush stole the 2000 election, and believe that the Supreme Court gave it to him. Finally, they think that ad hominem is making a valid point, while making valid points are just simply bland. My solution? Anyone too young to have an AARP card should be forced to pass a citizenship test in order to have the right to vote.
In Order to Vote Elephant or Ass, First this Test you Must Pass
(no cheating, do these without looking them up)
1) Who said "Give Me Liberty or Give me Death!" ?
2) What was the context of the statement above?
3) Who said "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." ?
4) "One if by land, two if by sea..." is quoted from what?
5) Who was the Second President of the United States?
6) Who was the Vice President under John F. Kennedy?
7) Who is the only President to serve for more than two terms?
8) T/F - The Constitution does not contain the words "separation of church and state".
9) T/F - George W. Bush is the only President to be elected while losing the popular vote.
10) T/F - Bill Clinton is not the only President to have been impeached.
11) Who did Aaron Burr kill?
12) Who wrote the Star Spangled Banner?
13) What is the Monroe Doctrine?
14) Name 1 Significant Supreme Court Case (other than Roe v. Wade)
15) Who is on the Ten-Dollar bill?
Bonus Question: Who killed Martin Luther King Jr.?
I'll post the answers to these questions in the next blog. Don't reply with the answers.
Eric is a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay. He has a bachelor's degree in Political Science, as well as in Public Administration.
