In May 31, 1969, a young student body president named Hillary Rodham delivered her commencement address at Wellesley College. In her speech she eloquently captured the hopes and frustrations of a generation coming to terms with the "gap between expectation and realities." The civil rights movement had lost steam, 1968 had been rife with turmoil and assassinations, Americans were dying in Vietnam and Richard Nixon sat in the Oval Office. But as she said, the difference between expectations and realities "wasn't a discouraging gap, and it didn't turn us into cynical, bitter old women at the age of 18. It just inspired us to do something about that gap."
In other words, Hillary Rodham's generation was growing up. They had an idea of what America and the world could be, but had seen those in power -- those in whom the American people had placed their trust -- lead this country astray, starting with a misguided war. Sound familiar?
When Hillary Rodham's generation decided to "do something" to change the world, they did so with massive rallies and protests. Their tactics, however, had unforeseen consequences. While they did put real pressure on America's leaders to pull out of Vietnam, they also alienated mainstream America, contributing to the divisive politics that continue to this day. We have learned from their generation, and now we have a better way to effect change.
Many have tried to define our generation, but none have yet succeeded.
Labels have been thrown around: Generation Y, The Millennials, The Echo Boomers, The Internet Generation. Some have looked at the environs in which we are coming of age, a world yearning for the promises of globalization, technology and democratization to come to fruition, yet sobered by the harsh realities of global poverty, terrorism, war and political polarization. None of this, however, even begins to describe who we are; we will be defined not by what we are called or where we come from, but by what we do when our moment arrives. That moment is now.
For years, the older generations have been telling us we are lazy. Perhaps they were looking for the rallies and solidarity of the sixties and seventies. Regardless, they were blind to the fact that we have been hard at work organizing -- organizing around issues like Darfur, AIDS, and the environment, organizing into groups like the College Democrats and College Republicans and organizing on behalf of campaigns. The Obama campaign, for example, has a truly impressive and comprehensive youth outreach arm. In 2004 young people voted in New Hampshire in record numbers, and in 2008 we have had enough. This year we are out to prove something. In this election, our generation will visibly make its mark for the first time.
Our moment begins today. The politics of fear and division have forced us to grow up as they have caused the country we love to lose its way.
Last week in Iowa, young voters announced their presence with authority. As total turnout increased by historic amounts, the percentage of young voters shot up. In fact the number of people under 30 who attented the caucuses tripled from 2004 to 2008. The candidates we propelled to victory in Iowa, Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee, ran as alternatives to the status quo.
Our generation, like Hillary Rodham's in 1969, is hungry for leaders who will "practice politics as the art of making what appears to be impossible, possible." And like that generation, we are ready "to transform the future into the present." Luckily for us, we do not have to occupy Parkhurst to make our voices heard, and we do not have to resort to Richard Nixon as the only candidate who is saying something we want to hear. All we have to do is hop in a van to Hanover High and vote for someone we believe in.
Today we have a chance to be part of something big. When you (yes, you) go to the polls, you are confirming that Iowa was not just a fluke. You are stating unequivocally that we are here, we are not children anymore, we are fed up and we are ready to ditch the status quo. In this election, our generation will truly make its mark for the first time.
I must close by divulging that I am supporting Barack Obama for president. I am not, however, being paid by his campaign, nor did I receive any assistance from them in writing this article.
While I am proud and excited to support Sen. Obama, I am also proud to be part of the College Democrats, who support all of the Democratic candidates. I am happy to talk with anyone reading this about why I made my choice, but for the purposes of this article it does not matter which candidate you are supporting, as long as you believe in him or her.
This is your moment. Just go vote.
