Also, frankly, it just isn't nice. Tempting, yes. But not nice. Also, I don't need some damn nutjob yelling at me that I jinxed anything. Dude, if I had that kind of power, I wouldn't be using it to sway election results. Trust me.
But I do want to say this: When will we all learn that the myth of the youth vote is just that--a myth? When you play Get Out the Vote, for pete's sake, don't play it with the 18-24 demographic. I was flaky at that age; you were probably flaky at that age; everyone is flaky at that age except maybe the College Republicans, and they weren't exactly the target here, now were they? The nature of being 18 is such that you're inherently unreliable.
I'm sorry if you're 18 and you're prompt, diligent, and attentive to duty--which I imagine applies to most young people in the military, actually--but the problem is, for every one of you there are 10 other dudes who can't find the car, can't find the roach clip, can't find their favorite t-shirt, can't find their own asses without first carefully considering the design flaws of pants and finally, tentatively concluding that no, probably those don't actually go over your head and your shoulders so hey, maybe the part they were designed to cover was . . . was . . . wait, dude, wait--what was the question again? Aw dude. I so had it there for a minute, but you interrupted.
I couldn't count on 18 year-old pals to pick me up from work when they'd promised to, but it was fine because they couldn't count on my sorry ass for anything either. Don't count on the youth vote; it maketh not the good sense. You can dress up voting however you like, you can rock it and rap it and do whatever else you want to try to make voting Sexy! And Hip! And Cool! And Whatever New Words Are You Whippersnappers Like to Toss Around These Days!, but it still involves activities like filling out forms and standing in lines and being around the real grownups, the ones with jobs that don't come with nametags, and that spelled B-U-M-M-E-R back in my day, and I refuse to believe it's changed much since, because I am just that old and that crotchety.
Posted by Ilyka at November 3, 2004 05:26 AM in i don't know you tell meYou're absolutely right. I didn't vote in a Presidential election until I was 31. I squandered three opportunities. I was a world class, self-absorbed, party animal, cigarettes and black coffee for breakfast slacker in my 20's. If I had it to do over again, I'd vote, too.
Posted by: Rob at November 3, 2004 11:38 AMWith age, comes wisdom and responsibility.
And terrific stories, scars and memories.
I expect it will always be that way, to a certain degree. And in that respect, I think youth is NOT wasted on the young. I'd rather they stay away from the polls than vote for the guy with the best fashion sense (or what have you).
Aiieee.
I guess that I have to order my "beat you with my" cane now. I have just sounded as crotchety as possible, there, huh? *blink*
Posted by: Margi at November 3, 2004 11:37 PMI first voted when I was 18. Liberal, of course, since I come from a solidly Liberal family and lived in a solidly Liberal area.
Of course, the Liberal Party is the conservative party in Australia. We just do these things to confuse foreigners.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at November 4, 2004 06:04 AM