Who says young people dont care about politics?

Hello,
I thought I would forward this to you, as you
might/should find it of interest, but also because you
most probably will not hear about any such gathering
and youth involvement through the media outlets.
Unfortunately, all they like to portray is that youth
are 1) apathetic, 2) violent, 3) lacking in 'morals'
(whatever that means with its conservative
ethnocentric agenda). And when they do strongly
support a candidate, as is the case with Nader whose
main volunteer and support body is college-age
students, the focus turns to piercings, hairstyles and
tattoos. Sad Sad...
Anyway, I was helping out with this event,
facilitating group discussions and the such, and I'll
tell you: It was extremely refreshing and inspiring.
And although my first reaction was: these people are
out of the ordinary, they really are not. It's just
that for one reason or another, they've figured out it
might be worth their time, future, love of life, or
whatever to turn onto politics, as opposed to letting
it turn onto them.
I say 'them', but I really mean 'us' and many of
'you', myself being only 22. I guess my experience
indicates that people are more likely to listen if I
put myself out to be an 'adult' speaking *for* youth,
as opposed to being a young person speaking of
personal experience and my peers... Especially as a
young person of color... Again, that says a lot about
how we/they are peceived and portrayed...
One Love,
 Omar
 MACC VISTA with Community Service Learning Office, 
 UMass/Amherst

--- Common Cause Massachusetts <ccma@commoncause.org>
wrote:
> From: "Common Cause Massachusetts"
> <ccma@commoncause.org>
> To: <ccma@commoncause.org>
> Subject:
> Who_says_young_people_don’t_care_about_politics?
> Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2000 10:33:36 -0400
> 
> Who says young people don’t care about politics?
> 
> More than 500 young people
> participated—thoughtfully, joyfully, and vocally—in
> a full day of political events on Tuesday in Boston,
> culminating with the Massachusetts Youth Vote Debate
> Watching Party. A remarkably diverse crowd of 18-30
> year-olds joined in a range of activities: activism
> training, intense discussions of issues, framing a
> "youth agenda," and affirming the importance of
> political participation. The day culminated with a
> debate-watching party at a brand-new movie theater,
> with free popcorn and soda and inspiring young
> speakers (including a 20-something Boston City
> Councilor) to introduce the debate. 
> 
> Once the broadcast began, the participants cheered,
> groaned, laughed—and listened carefully—through the
> entire debate. The entire debate. No one left early;
> no one fell asleep. Instead, these young people
> demonstrated a seriousness of purpose and an
> informed understanding of the issues that so many
> pundits offhandedly dismiss. 
> 
> The day began with training sessions on political
> organizing and participation, and then moved into an
> "ethics hour" (wonderfully successful small-group
> discussions—organized and led by young people—on
> issues that might come up during the debate). This
> lay the groundwork for more informed viewing…and
> continued activism well beyond this political
> season. 
> 
> This nonpartisan event had its genesis when several
> organizations, recognizing that they had a common
> interest in youth participation and an opportunity
> with the debate in Boston, pulled themselves
> together under the "Massachusetts Youth Vote"
> banner. 
> 
> Common Cause Massachusetts became involved when
> Janet Domenitz, a member of both the Massachusetts
> and National Governing Boards, as well as the
> Executive Director of MassPIRG, suggested Common
> Cause Massachusetts and MassPIRG work together on
> youth political involvement this Fall. 
> 
> We then made contact with Youth Vote 2000, City
> Year, Young Americans for Peace and Freedom, Boston
> Youth Leaders Forum, Youth Build USA, United Leaders
> for a Better Tomorrow, Campus Green Vote, Campus
> Compact, et. al., and the wheels were in motion. The
> National Committee to Preserve Medicare and Social
> Security (a senior advocacy organization) also
> participated, sprinkling a few gray heads among the
> discussion groups. 
> 
> Although Common Cause Massachusetts was but one of
> many groups that helped make this event happen, we
> take special pride in noting the intensity of
> concern expressed by these young people on our core
> issues of reform and citizen participation, as well
> as our role in helping to bring—and keep—this
> diverse coalition together.
> 
> Ken White
> Executive Director
> Common Cause Massachusetts
> 59 Temple Place, Suite 600
> Boston, MA 02111
> 617-426-9600
> 
> Ken White
> Executive Director
> Common Cause Massachusetts
> 59 Temple Place, Suite 600
> Boston, MA 02111
> 617-426-9600
> 


=====
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
"A real humanist can be identified more by his trust IN the people, which 
engages him in their struggle, than by a thousand actions in their favor 
without their trust [...] To glorify democracy and to silence the people is a 
farce; To discourse on humanism and to negate people is a lie." 
   - Paulo Freire
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos - 35mm Quality Prints, Now Get 15 Free!
http://photos.yahoo.com/