That girl was too young for politics!

Why can't she be a kid?

Published on October 29, 2004 By apdelong31 In Politics

Well today was an overall discouraging day. Being that I live in a conservative county, I'm like an albino in Harlem. Word is leaking out at school about how "Andy supports Kerry" and "If you vote for Kerry, you're going to kill us all" (yes, I did hear that today). Anyway, today (like carebear said) we held a little presidential poll. The results were obvious before it even began, but all praises to our principal, he's such a great guy...yeah right. One person, who knows I'm a Democrat, made a special effort to ask if I was going to vote for Bush in front of a handful of my avid Republican friends that don't know I'm a Democrat (including my girlfriend). That really pissed me off, it happened to be the guy for whom my ex-girlfriend dumped me. Fucker.

Anyway, I got a little rub-on tattoo that says "Think, Act, Vote" on it and it was on my arm at the football game later that night. This girl that my girlfriend knows, 10 years old, saw it on my arm and asked what it said. I quoted the tattoo and she goes "...FOR BUSH!". Trying not to start a complete rally in the high school student section, I told her "It doesn't matter who you vote for, just vote." Then she goes on to say Nader, Kerry, and Bush again and I say "Sure you can vote for them, it doesn't matter," (This does not affect my true intellectual, adult-minded views, but I didn't want to start a big hub-bub; she couldn't vote for Nader anyway, he's not on the Ohio ballot).

Right after I heard her yell "...FOR BUSH" I thought how sad it was that a 10 year old girl can't live her childhood devoid of the political fervor. I'm all for the youth population making their voice heard, but 10 year olds still have a good eight years to enjoy themselves and essentially not worry about anything if they so desire. Obviously she must have picked up on it from the family conversations at the dinner table or around the TV. It definitely seemed like a shame to me that her young life had to be tainted with such an idea as politics and partisanship.

Here's to letting kids be kids!

Comments

Texas Wahine

on Oct 29, 2004

I generally agree with you, but a ten year old is not too young to know about about politics and the democratic process. Young children shouldn't, in my opinion, have their parents' politics forced down their throats before they have had the chance to form their own opinions about the world around them. Kids are going to pick up their parents' politics at least to some degree, and I don't know that it can be helped, but in my own home, I try to minimize it.

I agree with you that children should be allowed to "be kids" and not worry with adult issues, but most ten year olds possess the maturity, emotional development, and morality assessment necessary to begin contemplating big things like politics.

I also wrote an article on this topic, Teaching Toddlers How To Mudsling, and I'm curious about your take on it.

Great article.

Sugar High Elf

on Oct 29, 2004

Well, I wish kids could be kids... but too many kids are forced to grow up to fast because of problems our government hasn't fixed yet. All parties are to blame for some of these issues. Then there are kids like I was who didn't know, didn't care, and didn't think anything was wrong... not because my parents shielded me from the outside world, but because I thought I was safe as long as I was with my parents. My daddy could fix anything. Kids today aren't feeling safe anymore... Not at school, not in the airport, and not even checking the mail. I don't know that we'll ever get that safety back for our kids.

Zoologist03

on Oct 29, 2004

I know why the kid thought, BUSH, BUSH, BUSH!!! It's all because of being brainwashed by the family.....of course, we all are in some way....Poor kid probably doesn't even know what any of this means....oh, well....I can't wait till Tues....finally, another four presidental election-free years.....

~Zoo

Grim Xiozan

on Oct 29, 2004

Easiest way to be brainwashed, according to Robert Anton Wilson, is to be born.

I harder thing to do is wash your brain, all people I have known who tried it have died.

Are you a Toys R' Us Kid?

Now you know and knowing is half the battle!!
YO JOE!!

PLINKO!!

apdelong31

on Oct 29, 2004

...interesting reply. I think I'm either too much tired or not enough stoned to understand that reply lol. All in just, Grim, all in jest.

Zoo, I wanted to avoid using the word brainwashed, I don't think her mom would really go so far as to do that. Perhaps highly encourage the slant she's taken, but brainwash is a pretty drastic word.

carebear07

on Oct 29, 2004

Oh, so now you're going to steal part of my article for an idea now aren't you?!?! hehe, j/k. I didn't know that you were a democrat. Shows how much I pay attention. I'm neither, really. I don't like any of these guys running. But overall I like Kerry better than Bush. Most of my friends except for a select few voted for Bush today. But I didn't, I voted for Kerry. Earlier this morning on the bus ride to school, me and Sam Christopher got into an argument about both guys. She still thinks she's right though. lol. Not saying I am......hehe. Alex and Sam and a lot of other people who didn't know that I was and did vote for Kerry thought that I was dumb or something. But you don't hear me saying that they're dumb for voting for Bush. Not saying they actually said it, but I think it was implied. I'm glad they chose who they did. It's their opinion and that's all that matters.

~carebear~

P.S.~ Poor kid! lol.

Grim Xiozan

on Oct 29, 2004

I harder thing to do is wash your brain, all people I have known who tried it have died.

Silly me, I meant:
The harder thing to do is wash your brain. All the people I have known who have tried it, have died.

Brainwash is not a drastic word, everybody is brainwashed, you, me, and everybody. Don't believe me just look at young kids...except it is not called brainwashing it is called Parenting.
Now you know and knowing is half the battle...G I Joe!

PLINKO!

Grim Xiozan

on Oct 29, 2004

...interesting reply. I think I'm either too much tired or not enough stoned to understand that reply lol. All in just, Grim, all in jest.

It is not called being stoned it is called be a Discordian, no drugs needed.

HAIL HAIL HAIL HAIL HAIL ERIS ERIS ERIS ERIS ERIS!!

Fnord

Daiwa

on Oct 29, 2004

I think you underestimate the intellectual curiosity of the average 10-year old. They don't live in a bubble, you know.

Cheers,
Daiwa

apdelong31

on Oct 29, 2004

Grim, I hold your free spirit in high regard.

Daiwa, whatever average means. Average, normal, regular: in a certain light, I don't understand those words very well; too much stereotyping. As for her not living in a bubble, I certainly know that and am embarrassed because you think I didn't. However, most of her information does come from her parents, the news, and her parent's interpretation of the news. Considering I know the girl a little better than you do, I can tell you she is not the one to sit down and read the newspaper every morning, study the issues, or even research into for what the parties have historically stood (poor grammar, I don't know how to end that sentence in anything other than a preposition).

Just because she wants your candidate to win doesn't mean she's a scholar.

latour999

on Oct 30, 2004

It seems that a lot of attitudes are hereditary. Racism, political leanings, and religion are all basically hereditary. I'll admit that though I know enough about politics now to understand and make an informed choice, and am basically as liberal as people get. In 2000, (I think I was 13 or 14, too lazy to do basic math) I was a moron. I cheered for candidates at random. I think I liked (this pains me to admit) Pat Buchanan, because I like to cheer for the underdog. In the Canadian election, I wanted Stockwell Day to win because he had a wierd name, and was another underdog. But now that I have learned about the political system, and read the paper for a few years, I can make an informed choice. Plus I can have a few interesting debates with people and not sound like a moron. It really pisses off conservative friends when I claim Al Gore is the President

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