Chideya urges youth to vote
Journalist, author, political pundit and anchor on Oprah Winfrey's new Oxygen network for women, Ferai Chideya spoke about America's changing demographics and the increasing importance of young voters in the 21st century. Speaking to a racially mixed audience of 30 people in Rockefeller Center yesterday afternoon, Chideya noted that having the census and the presidential election coincide in 2000 is "a weird harmonic convergence." But said it is of critical significance to the younger generation. "If young voters can seize the reigns and are active, they can set things in motion to affect us in the next 50 years," Chideya said.A stronger base of youth activism in the electorate is needed, Chideya said, considering in the 1996 presidential election seniors outvoted 18 to 21 year-olds two-to-one. Using the metaphor of "the squeaky wheel gets the grease," Chideya said it is critical for young voters to exercise their right. The election of former wrestler Jesse Ventura as governor of Minnesota "is a case of young people flexing their muscle," according to Chideya. She highlighted the need for voters to make themselves heard and to look for people outside of the political mainstream to run for office. The issue Chideya allotted the most time to was the future demographic makeup of the United States. She said statistics predict that in 50 years America will have no racial majority, a profound cultural and socioeconomic shift in a nation of a historically white majority that has at times used race as a means of suppression. "This issue hasn't really sunk in," she said.