A Matter Of Choice Why Should Teens Care About Politics? Because It Affects Your Future

We watch as our nation’s leaders jockey for positions of power. We sneer as they consort with special interests. We fail to veil our contempt for their embarrassing campaign practices and for their promises.

Most of us slap on our headphones and shut ourselves away from our leaders and their activities. Our elders have christened us “Generation X” and they pass legislation believing that the rules that apply to them apply to us.

Yet we don’t care.

We build cocoons of ignorance and pay lip attention to events that occur outside our narrow, tunnel vision.

“Middle Eastern peace accord has been signed!” “So what?” we reply.

“Japan is threatening American strength in the market place!” “Uh huh,” we yawn.

“Government is cutting your student funding!” “Whatever,” we sigh.

Generation X, I implore you! How can we sit back and contemplate Pearl Jam, the opposite sex and sports while not giving a rip about the decisions that can greatly affect our lives for good or for evil?

Now, I know what you’re saying. “Keith, Keith, Keith. Don’t bug us with this crap! We hear it all the time from other people and we don’t need to hear it from you.”

I realize our generation may be as shiftless as Serbian dwarf goats, but I can offer pearls of wisdom not heard anywhere else because I made them up. Pearls such as “Eat more fiber, value riboflavin and get involved in government.”

When we do not stand up and voice our views, government committees will put down their bananas and make our decisions for us. We may be uninterested in government, and we may think that politics suck, but we cannot allow ourselves to be victimized because of our refusal to participate.

So read. Get informed. Vote.

MEMO: See 2 related stories under the headlines: Clinton cares about working students Dole supports fair education