Fountain of Truth

Emily Bihl, 17
New Jersey

As I walked the streets of Denver at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, it was apparent that the political world was not accustomed to seeing 300 well-dressed people between the ages of 15 and 18. This became clear after the fifth or sixth time our group leader was asked by a curious passerby, “Who the hell are these kids?”

True to form, the first words out of our mouths were, “We’re not kids.” Yet, while my peers back in my high school might have gotten a comparable message across with less diplomacy, there was never so much as a sneer from us Junior Statesman. This was perhaps even more surprising to bystanders—such a large group of teenagers, all polite, intellectual, and attentive? Surely a wormhole had opened up in the middle of the street.

The question then becomes: Why are America’s youth perceived like this? Why is it so unbelievable for a group of high school students to be well behaved and informed? Surely no one believes that we all are like Serena or Blair on Gossip Girl, content to discuss fashion and boyfriends 24/7. Right?

Wrong, apparently. Those of us who talked politics on public transportation were met with incredulous—if appreciative—looks. It was not uncommon to see one or two outgoing Junior Statesmen conversing with a group of adults—and holding their own while doing it. And yet, when we had the opportunity to meet with delegates from our home states, individuals who should have had the most confidence of all in us, we were bombarded with a flurry of questions, such as “Are you registered?” and “Will you remember to show on Election Day?” Has the opinion of teens in the U.S. fallen so low? Have we so little faith in our youth that it is foolish to believe that even an enthusiastic, political-minded group of teenagers will arrive to cast their ballots come November?

It seems to me that, in an election where age is such an important talking point, it shouldn’t be that inconceivable for a younger audience to wish to become involved. Regardless of your political views, Barack Obama has already taught us that years in Washington do not equal credibility in this campaign. As high schoolers, we often meet this same stereotype of “age equals merit.” For whatever reason, we Americans exist in a culture where the value of what you say is measured by a number, and too often that number is directly related to age. Yet, does this mean we should blindly follow the leadership of John McCain because he has more years under his belt? Based on the predicted closeness of this election, I think we can agree that the answer is “no.”

So, as the election continues and summer fades away, we are all another year closer to college, and therefore another year closer to being taken seriously. But perhaps we will be valued more in the coming months because we have been inspired to get informed, rather than because we are adding another year to our resumes.