I just turned 18. At this age, I am very excited about my future as a young adult in America -- but simultaneously progressively cynical, as I am exposed to the plethora of issues our nation is facing and the number of national dilemmas my generation will inherit. The way the Republican candidates presented themselves onstage last night did not soothe my cynicism.
From the way they discussed Planned Parenthood and abortion, to the patronizing tone with which they addressed questions involving Hillary Clinton, and the pride they took in promises to undo progress that has been made -- almost everything they did made me roll my eyes. In fact, given all that went down on Fox News last night, I'm surprised my eyes didn't roll right out of my head.
In light of this, here are some notes to a few of the candidates, from a young voter:
Dear Senator Cruz,
I'm so impressed by your plans to spend your first day in office effectively undoing what our nation's leaders have been working to get done. That sounds like a great idea. Backtracking is the ultimate goal. (Insert eye roll here.)
Dear Dr. Carson,
Per your remark about "fighting for our children and the next generation," I just want to say, as a member of this generation that you claiming to be fighting on behalf of -- these aren't the fights I wish you'd fight (but it's a noble way to frame your self-serving agenda).
Dear Mr. Trump,
It would be cool if you stopped capitalizing on your privilege as a wealthy white male.
I know you enjoy being the farce of the party. But if we don't have time for political correctness, as you say (a weak excuse in response to accusations of your absurd misogyny, to be quite frank), then we definitely don't have time for someone like you to be taking up space in a political debate. (Side note: what do you mean we don't have time? There are still months before the primaries start!)
Dear Senator Rubio,
YOU WERE SO CLOSE! You could have taken one step in the right direction if you'd admitted that you supported exceptions to your pro-life stance in the case of rape or incest. You blew it, my friend.
Dear Governor Walker,
Thanks for your input that the life of an unborn baby is more important than that of its living mother. The ultimate empowering statement to the approximately 51 percent of America that is female.
To all the candidates:
Thanks, you 10 men, for sharing your opinions on whether a woman should have control over her own body. In the future, please keep them to yourself.
Mid-way through the debate, I texted my friend:
"I can't sit here listening to a bunch of old men discuss their belief that women should not have control over their own bodies."
"Can't even watch." and then "[H]ad to turn it off"
And I don't blame her. I could hardly watch. It literally made me feel sick. But I want to be informed and aware of the political discourse, so I continued watching.
The truth is, America needs young people to vote. I sincerely hope that my peers and I won't be discouraged from voting because we are so disheartened by these candidates' misguided attempts to supposedly improve the nation for future generations.
The percentage of young people who vote is disappointingly low (38 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds voted in 2012), so I'm taking my frustrations about the debate as a reminder that I really should show up to vote for the candidates whose ideologies I do support. Warranted as they may be, those "forget it -- this is pathetic; we're screwed no matter who we vote for!" thoughts won't get us anywhere in the long run. My hope is that other young people will seize the power they have as voters, too.
National Women's History Museum
Museum of London/Heritage Images/Getty Image
When life hands you stiff, uncomfortable apparel, make a pro-suffrage billboard. Emmeline Pankhurst, among the most famous voices in the English suffrage movement, advertises a march for women's suffrage in 1909.
Learnnc.org
The National American Woman Suffrage Association parodies
the scare tactics of anti-suffrage propaganda with the document "Why We Oppose Votes For Men."
Reason #1: "Because men are too emotional to vote. Their conduct at baseball games and political conventions shows this."
Topical Press Agency/Getty Images
A suffragette stands with a "Votes For Women" banner in 1910.
Imgur
You'd have to be pretty intent upon suppressing women to defy this simply logic. (
via Imgur)
Museum of London/Heritage Images/Getty Images
A satirical board game, produced by English suffragettes in 1910 depicts the struggles women were forced to confront. Players move through obstacles like demonstrations, arrests, hunger strikes, and force feeding to reach the House of Parliament at the center of the game -- a symbol for the right to vote.
Underwood Archives/Getty Images
Women assembling in San Francisco to to secure passage of a California state amendment granting women the right to vote.
Museum of London/Heritage Images/Getty Images
Produced by a suffrage group in London, this 1909 poster highlights the double standard applied to men and women, and just how senseless it was to withhold from women the right to vote.
Stock Montage/Getty Images
Suffrage badass-in-chief Alice Paul leading celebration of Tennessee's ratification of the 19th Amendment looks a bit like the front row at a Beyonce concert.
United States Library Of Congress
Bryn Mawr College Library
"At Last." So reads the cover of The Suffragist magazine in June, 1919, printed following the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote. (via
Bryn Mawr College Library)
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Remembered fondly in pop culture as "Evita," Eva Peron helped secure the right to vote for women in 1947 as First Lady of Argentina. Here, she celebrates with Argentine women in 1951.
Al Moldvay/The Denver Post via Getty Images
In 1957, Colorado women evoked the early suffrage movement in protest of local political groups that still did not allow women to vote on committee issues.
Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
Nuns arrive at a polling station in 1959.
Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images
African-American men were granted the right to vote by the
15th Amendment in 1870. But even after the 19th Amendment extended voting rights to African American women, discriminatory practices effectively disenfranchised many African-American voters.
Gabriel Hackett /Getty Images
"Vote baby vote"
colettesaintyves.tumblr.com/
Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images
Women line up in Baltimore to vote in the 1964 election. The Civil Rights Act, which included greater protection for black voters, was passed three months later.
Duane Howell/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Women Voters League Officials offer rides to voters in 1965.
ElizabethForMA on Flickr, under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC 2.0)
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 provided even greater protection to black voters against racial discrimination, but black women were advocating for important issues on the ballot long before that.
Getty
A woman votes in style in 1970.
Central Press via Getty Images
Margaret Thatcher arrives to cast her vote in the 1979 general election. With the victory of her Conservative Party, Thatcher became Britain's first female prime minister the next day.
New York Daily News Archive via Getty Images
Geraldine Ferraro, former candidate for vice president, votes in 1998.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Hillary Clinton votes in the 2008 Democratic primary, for which she was a candidate for president.
M. Spencer Green
Michelle Obama votes in 2010.
Max Faulkner/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT via Getty Images
Gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis votes in Texas on Oct. 20, the first day of early voting in that state.
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