WELL, IT'S that time again. That glorious time that comes around every four years, when politicians across America begin the long battle to the White House. It can be interesting, even -- gasp -- exciting.But, according to statistics, 70 percent of you reading this column really don't give a damn.
Only 50 percent of people in our ever-cool age group of 18-24 were registered to vote in the 2000 Presidential election (http://nces.ed.gov). But what's really sad is that only 30 percent of those that could vote actually did.
Here at our fabulous university, however, which I still contend is better than any other college in the entire world, students are doing their best to stop this apathetic trend. Cavs for Kerry, the John Edwards Cavaliers, Hoos for Lieberman, Hoos for Wesley Clark and Hoos for Howard Dean, not to mention the University Democrats and the College Republicans, among others, have been doing their part to garner interest in the upcoming elections. But it all counts for naught if we continue to be lackadaisical.
Now, I know what you're thinking. It's January. The election isn't until November.
True. But as a registered voter, you get to vote in most primaries now, and therefore decide who exactly will run for president. And by thinking about it now, you'll have plenty of time to decide what you really want come November.
I know what else you're thinking. As a lowly college student, largely ignored by politicians, nobody cares whether you vote or not. Everyone knows that the only votes that really count are those of stodgy, white, middle-aged businessmen who are pretty much bought anyway.
If the 2000 presidential election taught us anything, besides the gross incompetence of the Florida Supreme Court, it's that every vote truly counts. The election was literally decided by a few dimpled chads that made all the difference.
Additionally, there are roughly 10 million college students in America today. We make up a vast, untapped source of power that can turn any election around -- if only we would actually go out and vote.
Oh, I still know what you're thinking. The hallmark of the apathetic youth: Politics don't interest you because they don't apply to you. Legislators don't care about you. Politicians can't relate to you, and you can't relate to politicians. Whoever the president is, he really has no effect on you whatsoever.
Quite frankly, that argument is crap. It's a lazy cop-out of an excuse. I know. I've used it.
Clearly, University students are not lazy. Every student here seems to be involved in about eight billion activities, all the while maintaining a ridiculously high GPA. It simply doesn't make sense for a University student to be politically apathetic, especially when there exists a support group on Grounds for nearly every major presidential candidate. The students behind these groups are to be commended, regardless of their size or effectiveness, for their efforts to incite interest in something that students too easily and too often dismiss.
Because, at the risk of sounding preachy, politics do affect you. The economy affects you. Affirmative action affects you. Social Security affects you. Gay marriage affects you. Terrorism affects you. The war in Iraq affects you. Tax cuts affect you. Health care affects you. Education reform affects you. Everything in this upcoming election affects you. And if you aren't sure how, find one of the aforementioned political groups on Grounds, and they will be happy to fill you in.
I don't doubt that there are University students out there who consciously choose not to vote, and that's fine. If you've done your research, and you really can't bring yourself to vote for any candidate, then by all means, don't vote. But I'm sure that the vast majority of the non-voting population is just more concerned with which fratastic polo shirt to wear out to the bars than with the future of America. Try sticking your heads out of the U.Va. bubble for a minute and find out what's going on. Just try it. It won't kill you.
In the words of the late, great television cartoon series G.I. Joe, knowing is half the battle. Turn on the news. Stop by a meeting. And definitely, definitely register to vote -- you'll probably even get a free cookie when you do. And come November, go out to the voting booths and vote for Bush. Just kidding. But not really.
(Kristin Brown's column usually appears Wednesdays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at kbrown@cavalierdaily.com.)
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