COLUMN: Youth not an excuse for not voting
The Nov. 4 election is approaching, and on this day, we have the opportunity to vote for or against candidates and proposals that affect us. Yet, many students don’t understand the impact that state politics have on their lives or the impact they could have on state politics.
“Of course, you’re going to have those people who are really passionate about (the election) and really care,” said Bath freshman Kwyn Trevino. “But I think the majority of people are like, ‘it doesn’t really matter, it isn’t affecting me,’ even though it is.”
Trevino admits that she hasn’t kept up with state politics as much as she thinks she should. In fact, she doesn’t really know anything about the upcoming election. Back at home, she watched the news often, but on campus, she doesn’t keep up with it as much.
As students, we should care about the world around us. We should stand up for the causes we believe in. Historically, college students have raised significant awareness of important issues. But we can’t change the world around us if we don’t know what’s going on in it.
Students can easily forget about the importance of the election when wrapped up in their daily lives, but politics are also part of our daily lives.
With so many proposals and candidates, it can be difficult to keep up. Plymouth freshman Zach Hose said he wouldn’t even know where to go to get more information on the election. Though there are many sources of information, those sources are difficult to navigate and make sense of.
We should look at multiple sources and not simply believe everything we’re told. It’s important to not only pay attention to what politicians say, but also what they’ve done.
Wixom freshman Chris Bonnen said there are several RSOs on campus working to get students more interested in politics. For students who don’t know a lot about the election, he also recommends watching the debate and looking at campaign websites.
“(Former Congressman Mark) Schauer and (Gov. Rick)Snyder have both written op-eds at various times, so you can get a look into their political philosophies, as well as what specific actions they’ve taken in the past,” Bonnen said.
Because we’re young, we often feel as though we don’t have a voice. Sometimes, when we try to speak up, we’re silenced. But that doesn’t mean that our efforts speak to no one. We should take full advantage of our right to vote by becoming informed voters and advocates for what we believe in.
Being young is not an excuse.
“Get informed. Vote. The election is Nov. 4,” Bonnen said.
