NEWSLETTER NO. 18
22 October 2002
Tuesday, November 5th, our national election date, is fourteen days
away. A defining moment for ALL of us - including those of you
presently too young or otherwise ineligible to vote.
What is this election about:
State Concerns: By electing governors, lieutenant governors,
secretaries of state, state legislators, attorneys general,
superintendents of education; and by voting on ballot measures, we
determine how to fund public institutions, education policies, state
revenues and many other issues that affect us in the states in which
we live.
Local Concerns: By electing county, city or town offices (county
superintendents, assessors, sheriffs, councilmen, tax collectors,
mayors, city council, police chiefs, school superintendents and
school boards) and voting on measures including crime, school and
municipal bonds, medical services to the community, we determine
local taxes, local commercial and residential development and
services, the quality of our afterschool and recreation areas and
programs, libraries, new roads and many other day-to-day concerns
that keep our neighborhoods up and running.
THIS IS IT!!!!!!
We are a country on the verge of war. We are a country faced with
threats to our own safety and threats to our Constitution from
outside and from within. We are a country faced with too many out
of work as our economy trips over itself. We are a village where it
is important that we find a book we need for a subject we want, a
desk in our classroom, or a skateboard park or unpolluted waterway
near us so we can relax.
We place others in office to pass laws and administer them to make
our city, our state, our nation and our world better. If they
haven't done so, it is time to vote them out. If there is someone
newer and better, then it is time to vote him or her in. If there
is a law on the ballot that affects you, it is time to ensure you
know about it.
A quote from James Baldwin (No Name in the Street) I included in TEEN
POWER POLITICS: "We are responsible for the world in which we find
ourselves, if only because we are the only sentient force which can
change it.'
Here is our moment for change. Check out resources below for
elective action. Students who cannot yet vote can educate themselves
on ballot items as well as educate and advise their parents, friends,
and older siblings. Those who can vote can help each other by
dividing issues and candidates to research. Get together prior to
the election to advise each other.
Two weeks is still plenty of time to get active. Presidential
elections every four years are not the only time that very serious
considerations are being considered. In Congress, the balance of the
Senate will be determined as will the power of the House. If you
are at all concerned with what our administration is doing - right or
wrong - then involving yourself in determining the makeup of these
two powerful bodies, part of our constitutional system of checks and
balances of power, is key.
For a broad focus on major national and state concerns, look at
A.5.b. below for questions asked of congressional and state
gubernatorial and legislative candidates.
There are many things seemingly more interesting than an election
but.....this is important and affects everything you do, even if the
direct connection is not that apparent. And hey, it doesn't even
take that much time or effort. And..... in many districts, it's in
almost as many languages as the people who make up that area!!!!!
Some newer teen statistics for you:
Do you think you have power? We are a nation of numbers. Those
above say that you do in terms of size (approximately 15% of the U.S.
population), power over commerce, and communication.
BUT.... fewer that one-third of eligible youth (18-24 year olds)
voted in the 2000 election.
(http://www.civicyouth.org/research/areas/youth_attit.htm) How can
you show your power if you don't use all of your tools???????
Youth issues are always on the back burner 'cause not all of you vote
and those who can, do not in substantial numbers. Yet youth are
gathering now for anti or pro-war marches (See October 26th marches
at http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/o26/o26endorse.html).
For global issues. For the environment. For many other concerns.
There are many ways to be political and every one of these is a
legitimate and effective expression of what you want to say. But do
not forget that the vote is a tool just like all of the others. If
you want any of your concerns up front, show your power by voting if
you can or getting out the vote if you cannot. It is your time.
For those new to this newsletter, I am the author of TEEN POWER
POLITICS: MAKE YOURSELF HEARD, an issue-oriented book for young
Americans on civic and political activism. Engagement is integral to
our democracy and youth and young voters - citizens and residents
already - definitely have the voice, power, intelligence, sense of
justice, passion and energy to give the benefit of their
participation right now. Updates and resources for change are
provided on http://www.teenpowerpolitics.com and my periodic
newsletters http://www.teenpowerpolitics.com/newsletters.html.
HERE'S WHAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
A. The Election
A. THE UPCOMING ELECTION
1. Although a site or two is not updated, check out my 4th
Newsletter (30 October 2000), written on the eve of that Halloween
before our last presidential election.
http://www.teenpowerpolitics.com/newsletter4.html. Lots of stuff
you can do - voter or not - to involve yourself and others in this
moment.
2. Absentee Ballots and other important info for students at Votes
for Students http://www.votesforstudents.org/absentee.asp. From
their site: "...VFS will harness the unparalleled connectivity of
college students to ensure the voting process is simpler than ever
before... VFS will e-mail students every tool needed to cast an
educated vote on November 5...[including] voter registration and
absentee ballot request forms, a voter guide outlining candidates and
issues, and lastly, directions to the polling place."
3. "I'm tired of hanging chads". There are many new ways to vote,
including touchsreens, often in combination with early voting
(before the actual election date). Call or look online for your state
or local registrar of voters to find out whether any of this newer
technology is available to you and where and for how long. From the
Los Angeles County (CA) registrar of voters, a great website to learn
about this system. http://regrec.co.la.ca.us/voter/touchscreen/
4. "Do I need to vote for everything and will it invalidate my
ballot if I do not?" In a perfect world, we would know about every
candidate and ballot measure. The truth: often, it's all we can do
to just get there. It's not really ok but that may be just the way
it is. Do NOT let this deter you from voting. An educated vote on
several issues can impact public policy the way you want it. So pick
and choose if you must. It is not required that you vote every
ballot item. Just get there and let others know as well.
5. How do I find out about candidate positions and the real impact
of laws I vote for?
6. Media Literacy or how to understand what TV commercials and all
those little mailers are really saying. Take a look at TPP, Chapter
Six, "Knowledge is Power." "Media Literacy" is there defined as
"learning how to figure out the difference between fact, op inion,
propaganda and bias in what we watch, read, and hear." Question ads
from how a candidate is literally positioned on the stage, the music
playing behind him, to the concerns discussed. Listen carefully to
the words and see if they are designed to play upon your emotions and
if they are, look further to see if a vote for this candidate or
measure will really help what you want to see happen.
Educate yourself through the many news sources including
international sites listed on previous newsletters.
http://www.teenpowerpolitics.com/newsletters.html.
B. WAR, SAFETY AND OUR CONSTITUTION
1. There are many avenues to patriotism. None should narrow the
scope of our constitution and the rights and benefits it provides.
True: It is flexible. Not true: it does not always "snap back."
Whether or not you agree with the various safety measures in place
after 9/11 and even now when a sniper threatens so many in the
greater DC area, please visit the ACLU website and their page, "Keep
America Safe and Free." to see what it is we must protect.
http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFreeMain.cfm
2. A thorough bulletin from MoveOn.org on the subject of
conscientious objection is located at
http://www.moveon.org/moveonbulletin/bulletin6.html. Why
conscientious objection" now? Says MoveOn: " We believe that
learning about conscientious objection is important whether or not a
new draft is instituted. Whether legally recorded or not, the root of
the matter remains the same -- determining one's beliefs about war
and peace."
C. STUDENT LIBERTIES - SUSPICIONLESS DRUG TESTING - A TPP FOLLOW-UP
While on the subject of our liberties, in TEEN POWER POLITICS (pg. 6)
I wrote about Lindsay Earls, then 16 and a high school junior, who in
August of l999 had just challenged her School Board's directive that
all participants in afterschool activities be drug tested. This
challenge has gone all the way to the Supreme Court.
Unfortunately this summer, the Supreme Court by a close (5-4) vote
reversed an earlier federal appeals court ruling on Board of
Education vs. Earls that random drug testing on students involved in
extracurricular activities was unconstitutional. From a recent
Wiretap article: "[The Court} said that "students in extracurricular
activities had a "reduced expectation of privacy," and that the
administration of urine tests (or other forms of random drug testing)
did not significantly intrude on a student's privacy."
http://www.wiretapmag.org/story.html?StoryID=14144
If you do not agree, see "Drug Testing Fails," set up by Lindsay, her
mother and many others including coaches, teachers, parents and
students to contest this incursion upon a student's civil liberties.
http://www.drugtestingfails.org/
There is a lot more going on but please use these next two weeks to
show the power teens and adults have in this country.
Patriot. Dissenter. American. Citizen. Resident. Child. Teen.
Gen X. Gen Y. Boomer. Senior. Whatever we call ourselves.
Whatever we call others. We are all here together and together, we
are the strength and the future of the United States. Let us
concentrate on getting out a strong, informed vote. It will affect
everything else that we do.
Check out TEEN POWER POLITICS: MAKE YOURSELF HEARD and its companion
website, http://www.teenpowerpolitics.com. TPP was written as a guide
and a tool for activism. If ever that tool was needed, it is now.
Again, PLEASE let me know of a concern or activities to discuss here.
And send this on to others. They (or you) can e-mail me to be added
to (or removed from) this list. If you received this twice, please
let me know as I refine my list. Thanks for taking the time to read
this!
Thanks for taking the time to read this! If you received this twice,
please let me know as I refine my list.
Sara Jane Boyers
Federal concerns: The economy, health care, crime, education and
career opportunity, the environment, and of course, our safety - at
home, abroad, in the world. By electing our Congress - Senators and
the members of the House of Representatives - we determine the policy
and direction of this nation on a national and global level.
1. As of the census in April, 2000 - you now number over 281 million.
2. In 2001, teens spent over $172 billion.
3. Most of you are on the Internet, whether at home, at school or at work.
B. War, Safety & Our Constitution
C. Student Liberties - Suspicionless Drug Testing. A TPP followup.
a. My 17th Newsletter has links to some great sites.
http://www.teenpowerpolitics.com/newsletter17.html
b. For focus on issues, check out Project Vote Smart's "National
Political Awareness Test" http://www.youngvoters.org/match.php
Find your state categories (congressional, gubernatorial, state
legislative), then the subject headings and read candidate questions
and responses that can help you determine what it is you want to know
from a current candidate or measure. Any of them will inspire you to
more critical thinking.
(1) For congressional candidates, the questions centered on these
issues: Abortion; Budgetary, Spending and Tax Issues (Budget
Priorities, Defense Spending, Taxes, Taxes); Campaign Finance and
Governmental Reform; Crime; Drugs; Education; Employment and
Affirmative and Energy; Guns; Heath; Immigration; International Aid
(International Aid, International Policy, International Trade);
National Security; Social Security; Technology; Welfare and Poverty;
and Legislative Priorities.
(2 For state gubernatorial and legislative candidates: Abortion;
Budgetary, Spending and Taxes; Campaign Finance and Governmental
Reform, Crime; Education; Employment and Affirmative Action;
Environment and Energy, Guns; Health; Welfare and Poverty;
Legislative Priorities.
sjboyers@teenpowerpolitics.com
http://www.teenpowerpolitics.com
TEEN POWER POLITICS: MAKE YOURSELF HEARD A Millbrook
Press/Twenty-First Century Book ISBN: 0-7613-1391-5, paper $9.95/ISBN
0-7613-1307-9 hardcover, $25.90
VOYA's Nonfiction Honor List, Bank Street's "Best Books of 2001",
NYPL 2001 Books for the Teen Age, Reading List for the Chicago Public
Schools
-LIFE DOESN'T FRIGHTEN ME Stewart, Tabori & Chang
A Publisher's Weekly "Best Book" of the Year, NYPL "Best Books for
Teens", ALA "Book for Reluctant Readers", AIGA "50 Best Designed
Books"
-O BEAUTIFUL FOR SPACIOUS SKIES Chronicle Books (OP)
© 2002 Sara Jane Boyers