Extra credit
Opinions
I can’t help myself. I’m excited about the presidential election this year. Probably the biggest reason I am is because there’s a good chance we’re going to see history happen. Two of the candidates have the potential to break down barriers if either of them is elected: one, the racial barrier to the presidency; the other, the gender barrier.
So I was a little disappointed in my Interpersonal Communication class last week when most of the students weren’t able to correctly answer the extra-credit question: "Who are the two winners of the New Hampshire primary?" Many thought Obama had won, and I wonder if that was simply because they were familiar with his name.
No, boys and girls, the winners were John McCain and Hillary Clinton. The interesting fact that I shared with my class was that, according to the news, Obama had won the Iowa Caucus based on a record number of college students who got the vote out to put Obama over the top in that state. New Hampshire went to Clinton because that same phenomenon failed to happen there. If ever a college student was looking for evidence that their vote counted, that was it.
Now, I am not writing this to encourage support for one candidate or another. I still haven’t made up my own mind, in fact. But it’s obvious to me that this is the year to get involved. Change is the word you hear being touted by more than one candidate. Well, change is good, but only if it’s change that I want. And if someone else is changing things for me, I tend to get a little suspicious.
I mentioned the election to several students on campus, and got apathetic sighs. I know, it’s like the environment. Everyone has other priorities, unless something happens that impacts them, then suddenly it’s a big deal.
And chances are, even this opinion piece will fall on apathetic eyes. But if change comes—and it’s not change you’re in favor of—don’t say I didn’t warn you.