For the first time in my life, I am a registered voter
preparing to vote in my first election. Feeling a combination of excitement and
fear, I will be able to have my voice heard in one of the most powerful ways
imaginable. But as I consider all of the benefits of being of age to vote, I
cannot help but wonder if my vote will be a reflection of my own values and
political thoughts, or an echo of what my family has stated as their values and
opinions.
As an African American, I feel more conflicted than ever. Always
being one to have an opinion about current events and politics, the idea of
having to vote in this particular election has made me noticeably distant from
anything concerning the election. As soon as I turned eighteen, my grandmother
was adamant about me registering to vote. She, especially, knows first-hand the
importance of voting due to growing up in a segregated Arkansas. Yet, despite her
persuasion for me to take advantage of my right as a U.S. citizen, her notion
of me voting, is simply voting for President Obama because he is African
American. For me, his skin color does not suffice. In no way am I against
voting for President Obama, but if I do decide to vote for him his race will
not be a factor. With the feeling of going against my family for voting for a
person based on their character rather than color, I have begun to question if
it is even worth it to vote if I am solely going to vote based on the bias of
race or the opinion of others.
I say all this to say that many of us will be voting for the
first time this election. We are all in new territory, being bombarded by
propaganda to sway our votes one way or another. But many of us may not be aware that we may also be persuaded by members of our own families. At the moment, I am uncertain
who I will vote for, but I have come to the conclusion that whatever my choice,
it will be exactly that MY CHOICE.
I would really appreciate comments from those that have
concerns related to upholding family values over their own. Some of you may not
have to think twice about who you will vote for, but for those who are
hesitant, I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts and concerns.
Do you
think race is a primary determinant in the election of President Obama, or the
values and principles he upholds? Do you think that new voters are voting based
on their own voices or are they echoing the voices of their families? Is this a
negative or positive thing?
I definitely understand where you’re coming from, Destiny. My mom was in high school when discrimination on the basis of race and segregation became illegal. She and her family grew up in times much different than ours, and her experiences and parents’ beliefs have definitely shaped the way she views and interprets the world today. Before I came to college, many of my beliefs were a product of my mother’s, and I feel like I still struggle with forming my own views while considering the values that she and my siblings have. This has become especially difficult as I’ve gotten older and sought their advice on a number of things because I sometimes forget how much of what they say and do is informed by their own experiences, beliefs, opinions, and those of their parents. Though it’s tough, I try to suspend judgment and take a neutral approach to the way that I evaluate the information I take in every day. One of the ways that I do that is by ignoring the “noise” in the media related to certain topics like race unless the facts of the information truly merit additional consideration.
ReplyDeleteDo I think race was a primary determinant in the (previous) election of President Obama? No, I do not. I feel like the merits of President Obama’s previous campaign, his views and policies, and the values he promoted were and are self-sufficient and independent of his race. There were many undecided voters that chose to vote for President Obama because they believed he would successfully accomplish the changes that needed to be made in the best interest of our nation. However, it would be ignorant to think that race was not a factor in how some of both those that voted for and against him made their decisions. Though I’m unfamiliar with the research regarding how African Americans voted in the previous election, I do remember reading that somewhere from three to six percent of voters chose not to vote for President Obama solely on the basis of race. Without further investigation, it would be difficult to determine how significant the positive or negative netted affect race had on the election.
Given the state of the economy and the time that individuals who were initially uncomfortable with President Obama have had to accommodate the concept of a black president, I think many more people will vote based on their “own voices” in this year’s election. It is hard to break down our own preconceptions and beliefs that have been constructed in light of our parents’, but I feel like our culture and the need for change will overrule any pre-existing biases or flaws in our judgment. It’s certainly imperative that we do if we truly want what’s best for our country.
Like you, Destiny, I am very hesitant about this upcoming election. I am a registered voter, but I still have not decided if I will even vote this year. I say this because in a sense, I feel so overwhelmed by all of the propaganda and my family’s urging me to vote one way or another that I think my judgment of the candidates is somewhat clouded and convoluted. In addition, since there are so many important issues up for debate this year, I have found it difficult to pick a candidate to vote for without compromising my beliefs on some issues.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your questions, I think President Obama’s race did have an influence on his election to the presidency in 2008. People were ready for a change in American politics, and Obama provided hope for that change. However, I think that now people are less likely to vote for or against Obama based purely on race because they have formulated their own opinions about how he has run the country over the past four years. Since he is already in office, I do not think that voters, especially African Americans, will feel obligated to vote for him just because he is African American.
I think and hope that this year, new voters will listen to their own voices when choosing a candidate to support. So much importance has been placed on young voters by the media in the past few presidential elections, that I think people are beginning to realize the significance of their opinions and beliefs in shaping the country. This sense of empowerment and individuality for new voters is definitely a positive thing because how would our country progress if each generation’s new voters echoed the beliefs of their parents and grandparents? In order to better our country, we need to change some things, and the only way we can change things is if voters listen to their own ideas about the issues, regardless of how their families tell them to vote.
I think that race has played some role in the 2004 election. I am not saying it was a factor that necessarily swayed the election, but I am sure there were some voters who chose Obama over McCain because Obama is black, just as I am sure people chose to vote for McCain simply because he was not black. While the latter portion is more likely to be seen as inflammatory - and rightfully so - it will be interesting to see how race plays out in this years election.
ReplyDeleteI think and hope most Americans have realized that African Americans can successfully run a country and that race has not affected Obama's ability to govern. If this is true, I think this election will be very interesting because the color barrier has been broken, the excitement of having a black president elected has run its course, and now it comes down to people's thoughts on his previous term and his effectiveness at leading the United States.
As far as parental steering of college students voting goes, I think many young people look to their parents for guidance. When I was in high school and began investigating politics, I turned to my parents for information because I trusted their opinions. Now that I am in college and am constantly surrounded by those of differing view points, my thoughts and stances have changed. I now turn to my friends for information and bounce ideas off of them to figure out my opinions. I think this is a natural progression and something important for college students to go through. My parents have made it clear who they vote for, but I no longer take their decision as my own. Instead, I have gathered my own information, made stands on the issues I view as important, and will vote for the candidate of my choosing come November and I am very excited to do so.
ReplyDeleteUnlike others who have commented, my family has never pushed me one way or another in my political views. I am not saying that my parents don’t have political beliefs, because they do. They have just never really pushed me to believe something just because they believed in it. My parents have encouraged me in every aspect of my life to search for my own beliefs and passions and to follow them whole-heartedly. For that, I truly respect them.
That being said, I have never been very interested in politics. I know the slim basics and that’s about it. With the upcoming election right around the corner I, like most everyone my age, am a little nervous about this. Until now I have never really realized the amount of responsibility that comes with voting. I know that it is my duty as an American to vote. However, the responsibility is more than just simply voting. I have a responsibility to pay attention, to research policies, and to build and form a supported stance.
The past debate was the first presidential debate that I had ever taken the time to watch. Afterward, I discussed the debate with my mother who was a little surprised that I had actually watched it. I told her my thoughts about the debate and told her that it was hard to tell if what the candidates were saying was true or if they are just telling the voters what they want to hear. Her responding comment really stood out to me, “Yes it IS hard to know what is true. But just realizing THAT is a HUGE step in discovering the truth.” And she is right – the only way to get to the truth is to realize that not everything the candidates say is true. It is our duty and responsibility as voting Americans to research.
This means doing more research than just looking at the skin color of the candidates. I know that my vote will not be based at all on skin color; however, for some Americans this is not the case. Like Benjamin said, it would be foolish to think that no one votes with their eyes and bases their vote on color. That, in my opinion, is a waste of a vote. Like I said, it is our responsibility to form supported opinions and as I am preparing for my voice to be heard for the first time as an American, these responsibilities are becoming more and more evident to me.
Destiny, you raise an issue that many young men and women our age are facing as a major dilemma. Indeed, I family values must be upheld. However, these family values should serve as a guide and not a restriction as one matures throughout life. A family might greatly value their “race” so much that they inculcate into the younger generations a “race-oriented” mentality, which they would expect to always take priority in when making decisions. If an African-American boy heard stories about how his grandfather experienced segregation and racism during the days of Jim Crow, and how he developed strong bonds with fellow blacks as a means of comfort, would it be reasonable for this boy to then say, “based on my grandfather’s experience, I must associate myself with only African-Americans?” Certainly not. That wouldn’t make sense because the times are different. Upholding family values is important. However, we need to use wisdom in applying this values in the times and circumstances we find ourselves in.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the 2004 presidential elections, I agree with Robbie in that although race may not have necessarily been the primary determinant of Obama’s election into office, some voters might have voted for Obama just because he is black. Others might have voted for him not necessarily because he is black but because in doing so, he would be the first African-American president. Nevertheless, there are a ton of other reasons why people voted him into office.
To address your question about whether or not new voters are voting based on their own voice or the voices of their families, one cannot really tell. I think it could be either way: there are some individuals who may have never developed their own voice and thus would echo the voices of their families, while there are others who have nurtured their own voice well enough filter out other possibly swaying voices.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone blatantly spouts off about politics when they haven't taken the time to actually sit down and understand the intricacies of what the problems are. The main problem is that people blindly gravitate toward the political party that their parents, close relatives or communities associate with. If we are going to get past the whole racial barrier and association of race with politics, we need to support the party that plays to our own best interest. What is the use of blindly taking a parent or families political view when their situation is more times than not vastly different than your. Vote for yourself because when you are in the ballot box, no one else is there to judge.
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