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Kids Should Vote MAG
Global warming, stock market plunges, housing market at an all-time low, bird flu, and Americans dying in Iraq! When you’re a kid it feels like you’re letting adults plan your future. Adults are voting, but their votes affect the next generation. We are the ones who have to live with their decisions.
In our multimedia-based society kids are exposed to more information than ever. Television, Internet, and satellite news are available 24/7. Polar ice caps are melting, our troops are dying, and people are starving as we watch live. My generation is more aware of what is going on in the world than previous ones. My generation is more likely to be offspring of single-parent families, multi-racial families, and openly gay parents. The world has changed, society is different from when our parents grew up.
Kids are more socially and politically aware; so why can’t we take part in the political process? What would the political environment be like if kids could vote? Perhaps SUVs would be illegal - if you don’t get 35 miles per gallon, you’re off the road. Why are our troops dying in Iraq if no weapons of mass destruction were found? Perhaps we would bring the troops home now, if kids had a say. How come Katrina victims still need help, while we turn away economic aid from other countries? I would vote to accept help from foreign countries. Why does it matter if we agree with their government or leaders if they want to help? Also, my generation doesn’t care who makes up a family. I would vote that families are people who love and care for their children.
My hope is that because children of my generation have more knowledge, they will make the right decisions. My fear is that kids are so busy memorizing Red Sox stats, so concerned with Britney at the VMA Awards or with beating the newest video game, that they may not pay attention to what will affect their lives. On the other hand, don’t some adults focus on these less important things too?
Perhaps only the politically aware should vote, whether they are 14 or 104. If you don’t know how your vote will affect everyone, or how a candidate will govern, then don’t cast a vote. I guess kids couldn’t do any worse.
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This article has 65 comments.
I agree that her article is a little naive on some issues but she definitely brings up a very fundamental issue on civil liberties in modern society that I side with her on. I was reading some of the arguments against allowing kids to vote in the comments and I just wanted to say:
a) the whole argument about kids' votes being a replica of their parents' is not legitimate. At all. Okay let's establish 14 as the age. So they are at least competent enough to walk into a voting booth where you CONFIDENTIALLY have to cast your ballot for whomever you want and nobody would be wiser. Also, parents influence most people's political views long into adulthood at least past the legal voting age now. It's not an excuse to limit youth from voting.
b) kids are naive, think only about themselves, will mess up the system: so why hold only kids up to certain standard and not adults. I will agree that young people cannot and will not always be well informed about all important issues. But then again we are not taking away the right of adults to vote and influence the outcome of these important issues. But really? Adults are not going to make the best decisions about a lot of issues that matter to young people, no matter how much you delude yourself into thinking adults have the best interests of youth at heart. No, and we already see this in current funding levels for education as well as the increasingly restrictive laws directed at youth. The only way the future of young people is secure is if young people are empowered to secure it themselves, not assign their rights and powers to some sort of steward as if they were mere commodities.
In short, kids/teens/youth/young people whatever you call them, don't make the mistake of thinking that chronological age is an absolute measure of intelligence and wisdom and that only the "smart" (by whomever's definition) are eligible to vote. Voting is a basic human right and civil liberty and should be given to all who have a stake in politics.
"Don't you think kids be allowed to vote."Many people say that kids should not be allowed to vote.That's many people say,but they don't give a reason why kids can't vote,many just say that they can't.They maybe young,but that doesn't mean that they can't make difference.
I believe kids should have the right to vote.Yes some kids are mature enough and could possibly have an important opinion.In some ways no....because most kids unlikely to from their own opinion.Some kids see the future and know what changes we need to be fabricate."Kids care just as much as adults,aren't we part of the world.Or,are we going to have to go through another declare on who has the right to vote?"Women and Men have the right to vote,why don't we?Is there any reason why?DOES ANYONE CARE ABOUT A KIDS OPINION?
You see all the tv. commercials with children talking about what type of president they want.Not only should we able to vote for president ,but we need to have say on what gets palced in our country.Also,shouldn't we have the ability to choose has the country in their hands?"If kids where not allowed to vote,kids were be unhappy and disappointed,or mistreated.
Honey what do you know about voting...maybe what you should do is look at how immature 15 -17 and sometimes 18 year old kids act, and you think adults make the wrong choice HA! it's an opinion by the way and i understand what your trying to say but we choose who we choose and you choose who ever you feel like it so just stop ok :)
