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College students must step up this November |
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Tuesday, 10 June 2008 |
It’s over.
The contenders for the general election are set.
The most highly televised presidential primary in history has come to a conclusion. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., secured the democratic nomination for president over his political rival from New York, Sen. Hillary Clinton.
The contest took 14 months and 54 primaries to decide. During that time span, I have had the opportunity to watch from afar the kind of passion this election has stirred in the most unlikely of people: college students.
It’s
almost hard to believe. I have watched students here on the campus of
Appalachian State University go Obama crazy. “Obamaism” might be a
better way to describe what I have seen. As an independent voter and
someone who really isn’t fond of either of the two major candidates
running for president, it took me a while to understand why people were
so crazy for him. Honestly, the differences between Obama and his now
defeated democratic rival are not that numerous. Obama wasn’t really
offering any ground-breaking policy or idea to the American public. He
spoke of change, but so did everyone else. So what was so great about
him?
I believe what made people love Obama so much was he had an uncanny
ability to make people believe the future was bright. He offered hope
for the future when it seemed most politicians in Washington were only
offering more squabbles and failed policies. He said he could be an
agent of change in an America that badly needs it.
I’m not saying Obama will be able to do that. To be perfectly honest
with you, I don’t really think he can. I don’t think he’s any different
than anyone else in Washington. But the key here is Obama made people
believe change is possible.
Then there’s Sen. John McCain.
McCain, R-Ariz., nearly managed to bury his campaign last summer but
clawed back from the grave to secure the republican nomination for
president. He’s fought to distance himself from some of the failed
policies of President George W. Bush while drawing closer to others.
McCain offers the opposite agenda that Obama does. Still, McCain has
said he, too, can be an agent for change.
Our choice for president has the potential to create so much change.
It cost me nearly $75 to fill up my gas tank today. How much more is it
going to cost me? What happened to the concept of financial aid? Are
we ever going to come to a compromise over the problems in healthcare?
Am I going to have social security when I retire 45 years from now?
We’re the generation that will feel the effects of these problems more
than any other in years to come. So shouldn’t we show we care about
this election year and show up at the polls?
It seems we fail to do so every presidential election year. We fail so
often, it has almost become routine for political talk show hosts to
talk about whether or not we will show up to the polls. We’re supposed
to be such a crucial part of each election but always turn out
otherwise.
I hope this year is different. I hope the kind of passion I saw in
Obama supporters this primary season will be echoed in all of today’s
college students and we can finally show the country we care about our
future.
Obama and McCain can’t change anything. They don’t have the power to yet because we haven’t given them that power.
Therefore, I encourage everyone to participate this November and vote. I don’t care who you vote for.
Just vote for whomever you think can bring the best form of change to these United States.
We’re supposed to be the agents of change anyway, aren’t we?
Cory Watson, a junior journalism major from Mebane, is a reporter.
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