When I picked up Monday’s issue of the Daily and was skimming it for something interesting to read as I ate my dinner, something in the opinion section caught my eye. Front and center: “I Won’t Be Voting”, an article written by Sarah Tisinger. Now, I’m always curious as to people’s excuses for not participating in the decision on who is going to lead their country. Whether it’s “One vote isn’t going to change anything!” or “I don’t know enough about politics!” I’ve heard plenty of weak reasons to justify not voting.

Just to make myself clear — yes, Sarah, stomping your feet and throwing a hissy fit by refusing to participate in the elections is certainly your right as a free citizen. But it is also outrageously immature. You are completely reinforcing the negative stereotype so often associated with young adults, which portrays them as adamantly egocentric. Grow up. Politics are flawed. Welcome to the real world, where nothing is absolutely ideal. You need to look at the bigger picture, because voting isn’t about the principle of the thing. It’s about taking your future into your own hands. It’s one of the few times in your life where your take on things counts for something, so much that you are actually encouraged. In general, we as a generation usually have to fight tooth and nail to have a say in anything at all, and here you are snubbing the easiest and quite possibly only chance we have. I highly doubt that anyone you proudly informed that you’re not going to vote thinks you’re the antichrist — more likely, they stare because they’re incredulous at how someone, especially a college student, could possibly be so blind.

You don’t care who’s elected? That’s nice. Probably someday you will, probably someday in the not so distant future when tuition prices go through the roof because the country’s financial system is going down. McCain and Obama do have starkly contrasting plans for the economy, so you better believe that who ends up getting elected makes a huge difference. Cost of tuition is just a single example out of countless issues, but is perhaps the most obvious and relevant one to an Iowa State student such as yourself.

You said “a candidate who does not tear apart the competition for his or her own gain”, who will “figure out the war, the economy, healthcare and education system” will have your wholehearted vote. Here’s the problem — that is a naïve vision of a candidate that is never going to exist in reality. If you’re not going to change your stance or vote, fine, that’s your choice. The least you could do is not be so outspoken about it. It makes the rest of us, and young people as a whole, look really ridiculous.

Kaitlin Martin

Freshman

Art and design