optimism for my generation

I am graduating in May. And, while I was excited about stepping into the political scene, it seems that our prospects for the next four years have become predictable and uninspiring. Whether a Democrat or a Republican wins the Presidential election, we are in for a four-year standstill. Think about it.

Each candidate is surrounded by drama of an almost Jerry Springer-like quality. Senator Hillary Clinton, the wife of a former president with a less than reputable record, faces off against Senator Barak Obama, the young star with a suppressed past who has suddenly acquired the spotlight. In the end, the WWE match going on between Senator Barak Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton is not about the issues. It is a question of which minority status Americans would like to see in power first, because neither candidate has enough experience to flaunt. Now for the Republicans. Each candidate has dropped out, one by one, and now there is only one man left standing – Senator John McCain. He is the nice, all-American soldier who is as liberal as it is possible for a conservative to be. A Republican candidate is existent in this race in name only. Perhaps conservative reasoning is that he is the most electable next to a Democratic candidate, or perhaps it is that people are afraid of the unpopularity of another President Bush. Either way, Clinton and Obama are radical enough in their views to be often opposed by Republicans, and McCain may have to look forward to being opposed by his own party. The productivity of the next four years is hanging in the balance.

Of course, this is a dreary outlook, and things could take an unexpected turn for the better. There is always room for optimism, but in this case there is not much. So, for my generation of up-and-coming leaders, the question remains, “What is there to look forward to?”

Our grandparents reminisce fondly about the America of their youth, and our parents started talking about “the good ol’ days” a long time ago. There is no doubt that the twenty-first century has ushered in a very different sort of society from those of our parents and grandparents. Now, for us, in what kind of America will we find our adult selves? Will it be one with a socialistic health care system? One of peace or war? One of tolerance or intolerance? One with debilitating debt? One led by more emotional diplomacy or Constitutional adherence? One in which America continues to lead the world or fades into the background?

The race before us leaves those questions unanswered in an unnerving way. My generation has been extremely apathetic for some time now, but as I draw closer to being a “grown-up,” I am more and more encouraged by the next generation of leaders of which I am a part. As we enter into adulthood, it is natural to wonder how we fit into this American framework, and I am pleased to see many young people preparing themselves for principled leadership. The next four years may not be easy, but this is our opportunity to get a foot in the door, to show them what our leadership looks like, and to build an America focused on the issues at hand. Our current political options are disenchanting, to say the least, but the exciting thing is that the future of America is what we are prepared to make of it.

February 11, 2008
(article for The Review, Laurel, MS, newspaper)