PIE IN THE FACE

Today was an excting day for me. It was my first time voting! I had anticipated this day for a while now and I was especially excited to vote in one of the most historic elections to date. Today was the election day for the Pennsylvania Primary elections. (I know that seems a little redundant but you'd be surprised by how many people didn't know that). However, I am very concerned about the youth vote.

As many of you know, the youth vote is one of the most important votes, especially in Pennsylvania. Yesterday, on election -day -eve I talked to a family member of mine (who will remain nameless) about voting today in the Primary elections and he said that he was not voting; he had not even registered to vote. He told me that he didn't see how voting benefitted him. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM!!! The youth are not being educated enough about politics. I must admit, it took a lot for me personally to become interested in politics because I was pretty bored by it. I didn't become really interested and involved until I came to college and took a political science class. I, too thought it was just a bunch of old people making laws about stop lights and whether or not we would get ticketed for jay-walking (okay that's a bit of a stretch but you catch my drift). Anyway my cousin did not see how getting registered and voting would get him out of his current situation. He said he would still be living in the same place and struggling just as he is now. This really hurt my heart as I listened to him.

However, I am not upset with him. We need to do a better job of educating people about how much of an impact the government and politics has on our lives. Not just young people need to know these things, everybody does. There are some older people who have never voted in their lives because they think that the whole process is intimidating and confusing. In reality, the part that matters, the actual pushing of the button to vote, that is the easiest part! But registering can be a little confusing. I had my parents helping me through the process which made it easier but I have many friends who weren't as lucky and never got to cast their vote. So this is my charge to anyone reading this to take the time out to talk to at least one person and to see how well they understand the voting process and help them to fill in the blanks!Oh...and...uh OBAMA FOR YA MAMA!!!!

~Lana~