I spent my freshmen year at Bennington College, in Bennington Vermont. The school was aesthetically over-stimulating, speckled with New England clapboard houses, vermillion Adirondack chairs, and purposefully antiqued signs. The school, literally poised above the rest of the town, earned its title, in Forbes Magazine, as one of the United States’ most expensive colleges in 2007. In addition to its price tag, the college was known for its homogony, as it was said to have more species of birds on campus than minorities. This bucolic microcosm would be the backdrop of my experience in the 2008 Presidential Elections.
There was no doubt in my mind, that the majority of Bennington’s student body would be checking the “Barack Obama” box during the voting season. The school, renown for its indoor smoking dorms and clothing optional policies, lacked political diversity. At lunchtime on November 4th, 2008, I asked my table of six peers: “So, who voted?” I found this inquiry to be more humorous than it was an actual concern. My peers looked back at me with blank stares, each coming up with various excuses as to why their absentee ballot did not reach them. That night these same people shed their clothes, set off fireworks and ran off into Vermont’s misty plains in celebration of Obama’s victory. As my non-voting peers took two joints to the face instead of one, I asked myself: do they have the right to celebrate?
The mid term elections suggested a similar sense of apathy from the youth, but without any celebration. According to civicyouth.org, 20.9 % of Americans under the age of thirty voted in the midterm elections. With minimal input from the unengaged youth, the Republican party swept the House of Representatives in the midterm elections. Republicans gained open senate seats in Missouri, Kentucky, Kansas, Ohio, Florida and Utah. Democrats held on to important states, such as California and New York. In Delaware, Chris Coons beat the tea party supported Christine O’Donnell, and similar Democratic victories were seen in Connecticut as Dick Blumenthal beat wrestling entrepreneur Linda McMahon. In California, Barbara Boxer triumphed over Carly Fiorino.
Steven Peterson, Professor of Politics and Public Affairs at Penn State, is not shaken by these facts. “I’m not surprised by the lower youth turnout because people are more excited about the presidential elections. They follow it more, so there’s a greater political interest, so there’s a greater overall turnout vote.”
Contrarily, Professor David Plotke, chair of committee on historical studies at the New School, responds with a different outlook. “Young people are usually less engaged by politics than older people, and it is not because they are disenchanted. They have not usually been involved much period.”
Yet, my experience at Bennington suggests something less obvious. Perhaps youth activism is only something of the past. While the minds of America’s youth are undoubtedly expanding at various institutions, could it be that youth activism’s spirit has died down? Professor Jeremy Varon, Associate Professor of history at The New School characterizes the past essence of activism: “The 60’s was driven by youthful idealism. History of the 1960’s was made by young adults, and politics was no longer something adults did.”
According to statemaster.com, the 1972 presidential elections accumulated a total of 50.3% of the youths vote. Over thirty years later, political analyst John William Cox reveals that 36% of young adults stated that it wouldn’t make a difference who they voted for. Some youth have been disillusioned even prior to Obama’s candidacy. April, a 25 year old accountant, and mother of one states: “I didn’t vote, because it dosen’t matter. Hence, Bush.”
Deva Woodley, assistant professor of Political Science at The New School for Social Research speaks to the generational discrepancy of the youth vote. “Some generations are more progressive than others, those that came of age in World War II tend to vote democrat, though now they are mostly in their 80’s, and those that came of age in 80’s tend to vote republican. Political disposition gets set pretty early on and dosen’t seem to waver.”
Some experts say that Generation Y’s disposition is largely shaped around their desire for instant gratification. This desire, perpetuated by technology, has supposedly left them disappointed with Obama’s presidency. “Often times people will listen to people whose views they agree with,” says Steven Peterson, Professor of Politics and Public Affairs at Penn State “Given the fragmentation of cable, that means you won’t hear other view.”
Many of the youth who voted for Obama in the presidential elections, were uninvolved during the midterm elections. “I think it was the hype during the presidential elections a couple years ago that really got me to vote. Now, I don’t really see what it was all for,” says Michelle, a 23 year old receptionist.
Is it the technology induced instant gratification that allows the youth to be more apathetic? Or rather, is it that media and the celebrity continuously, and perhaps inappropriately mingle with campaign efforts? Stars such as Oprah, and Ben Affleck displayed an obvious allegiance to president Obama. Similarly, Snoop Dog created videos in support for California’s prop 19. Social media websites have additionally installed polling applications, engaging the 97% of youth that use these social networking websites.
Rock The Vote, has been one of the major figureheads in this political niche. “There is still star power behind this election. Its especially great to see things moving virally through social networks and online after celebs share them with their fans,” claims Maegan Carberry, communications director of Rock the Vote.
However, such star power can dominate and skew the youth’s vision of politics. Most recent “politician” turned reality television star, Sarah Palin misrepresents a legitimate political agenda. Jessica Chaplin, a 24 year old from Cincinnati Ohio, did not vote in the mid term elections. Yet, when asked if she voted in the presidential election she stated: “Yes, because Sarah Palin would have ruined everyone’s lives.”
This is not to say that star power, was not driving force in the 1972 presidential election. The power however, was more representative of political vitality, than exploited political outlandishness.
Gary Meisel who is now an executive at Warner Brothers in Los Angeles, veered from the campus norm, of that era and was active in the 1972 Hubert Humphrey campaign, instead of supporting George McGovern as did most of his peers. “To the extent the youth do get involved, they are typically more left or right than in the middle, since those that get attracted at that age are generally caught up in the basis of an issue.”
Some youth, however, are not even engaged with the fundamentals of the midterm elections. Claiborne, a 20-year-old Starbucks barista, didn’t vote and admitted, “I didn’t even know who was running.”
Nevertheless, Analyst William John Cox believes that the youth vote is substantial. “No matter what youth consider themselves in terms of political party, we all must mobilize. Voting should be a sacrament in our national political religion.”
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