Position Paper No.4: Wild Card
One day you are asking
permission to go to the restroom and the next you are expected to pick the next
leader of the country. Some go from having parents making doctors’ appointments
to being able to walk onto a college campus and accept thousands of dollars of
loan. Your eighteenth birthday seems to signify a large breaking turning point
from being a teenager into the complexity called adulthood. For many of us this
may be our first or second time voting in a presidential election and although
the voting process is already over I am exploring ways to go about getting
educated and involved in the politics that affects everyday life not just for you,
but for the future generations.
Being educated on politics is crucial, but it can also be very daunting or overwhelming at times. Take the learning process one step at a time, perhaps refer to some of the things you learned in civics in grade school. I personally watched videos by John Green on American politics and our political system as it stands. Sometimes looking at the issues can be a great starting place, for you to determine what party or candidates have views or plans to better the issues. This does not just go for presidential elections but also for local and state elections as well. Local and state officials also make agendas on things that they would like to accomplish are elected as well and could result in changes right your backyard so to speak. For college students, maybe think about taking an American government or politics course as an elective to ensure that you are getting accurate and helpful information.
For many young people it can easily get wrapped up in all that is shown in the media and national news about national politics and forget about the politics that take place within our own states, counties, cities, etc. When you look at issues that you see within your intimidate community, there is a possibility that it could be changed so long as you all are voting for the candidates that you all believe would be best for the job. Some of these elected officials could help to get popular roads fixed, stop signs and warning signs for children put in place. I know throughout this Covid-19 pandemic people have seen a lot more of our Governor as he has been leading the charge of our state as we try and combat the pandemic. There are also the mayors who help to make things happen within your respected city. There are also elections for school boards members, which are very important seeing as children are the future. We must make sure that the school boards members that we are always electing have the best interest of the students at mind. Get in contact with your respected representatives in order to get your voice effectively heard to bring about change.
My senior year of high school I had the opportunity to work on a political campaign for a gentle man running for the justice of the peace in Arkansas’ 10th district. The opportunity was very enlightening and showed me the importance of my vote as well as how networking goes a long way. While volunteering on his campaign I met and connected with other politicians along the way. This volunteer work helped me to see the importance of networking and being vocal. This another point is you are able to volunteer in elections in any way that you can. This can in most cases be easier with local and state elections rather than national elections. You can work on a particular campaign like I did, or you can set up voter registration drives to ensure that everyone who can vote is exercising their right to do so. With this election year that we have had in the midst of dealing with a deadly pandemic, the need for people to work the poles was essential. A study done by the Pew Research Center, showed that most poll workers are over the age of 60. Due to the risk of Covid-19 on the older poll workers we saw a decrease in their involvement in working the polls this year. Hopefully, this leads to a continued increase in younger individuals working the polls. Keep in mind that there are paid positions available. The point of all of this is to show you come of the ways that you can get involved in politics the best way that you can. You must make it natural to you because politics are inevitably a part of your life. Utilize your talent to further the agenda of getting young adults involved in politics whether it’s through your social media, music, dance, comedy, public speaking, crafts or whatever interests you and possibly other young adults.
WORKS CITED
How to Become a Poll Worker - https://www.eac.gov/voters/become-poll-worker
John Green's Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watchv=lrk4oY7UxpQ&list=PL8dPuuaLjXtOfse2ncvffeelTrqvhrz8H
https://www.bridgealliance.us/7_ways_for_teens_to_get_involved_in_politics
Comments
Post a Comment