Norman Lear has teamed up with various internet sites to help encourage 18 year olds to vote!
As someone who teaches a voter education series to 18 and 19 year olds I can assure you that they receive information differently (wink). This site is full of video clips and so forth to connect with youth, but it doesn’t appear to be lean on the fundamentals. I was thrilled to see this section with downloadable educational material on the vote and individual rights at the polls.
Fantabulous!
I’m forever amazed that the most recent group to gain the vote (American 18 year olds gained the vote in 1971 through ratification of the 26th Amendment to the Constitution) would be so disinterested in using it. I think part of the problem is that politics is forever defined by presidential elections and voters are not educated on how the local and state level drama plays into our lives. But education is the key and I sincerely hope Declare Yourself is the first of many!
Check it out and let me know what you think…
5 comments:
These types of initiatives are great to get young people like myself involved in politics, but there has to be someone to let youth know these sites are out there. Educators, mentors, and and parent have to let there young people know what great events, websites, and organizations are out there to foster youth paticipation in government. Are there any St. Louis based programs to keep young people involved in local politics?
Good point!
It looks like this project has an outreach to schools and local groups. As for St. Louis...hmmm, I'll have to look into that.
Other than the usual Young Dems/Young Rep. groups...
Hiya, I checked out the site --looks fine to me, although I'm not sure how it's any different from Rock the Vote and the rest. I don't get kids these days.
Anytheways, I'm really only posting to tell you that I dig your blog and you should provide a key or "cheat sheet" to explain what exactly what YOU mean by "bitchitude" and why you call yourself "a bitch."
Maybe I forgot where I come from, but this bitch needs a translation. Thx. Plus, readers love that kind of stuff. Won't it spike your readership?
off topic FYI, see link:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1556803/20070410/id_0.jhtml
How again did the word "ho" come into the popular vernacular?
Thanks for the link. I will share it with the teens I work with and with the high school as well. Part of the program I coordinate is to take teens over to the state capitol (across the street from my office) to talk to legislators and their staff, as well as to speak to the borough assembly. It is a wonderful introduction to the democratic process.
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