Reading the news and thinking about political topics, it strikes me how so much relies upon the younger generations, and how the future really is in our hands. Let me take two examples from current affairs that have brought me to this conclusion: the Arab-Israeli crisis, and the European elections. Both of these cases really need to make the most of the youth to promote their causes and help them to make progress.
Let’s start with the European elections. Most people are saying that there is a lack of information going around and that people who are expected to vote do not know enough about the European Parliament (EP). I fully agree with this and I think that the EP is doing a very bad job of promoting itself. MEPs lament the lack of involvement, but they do not do anything to make themselves more accessible to the general public. What they really need is a massive overhaul in the public relations and campaigning department, and learn to appeal to the electorate. This is where we come in. As young people, interested in politics, able to vote, and educated, it is up to us to gather our motivation and go out there to set the example. We must show our passion for Europe, and if not that then at least a passion for our own countries by voting in the European elections and having a say on the parliament’s influence. We must show that we believe in the future of Europe, and make a difference. By doing so we will hopefully manage to motivate older generations, but also inform future ones as well as our own.
The second example in which the younger generations are so important is the Arab-Israeli conflict. As the world is going on about the Pope’s opinion on the matter, and the necessity for President Obama to propose a plan, it strikes me that what we are forgetting are the people actually involved in the conflict: Israelis and Palestinians themselves. Of course, the US has a lot of influence on Israel’s policies, and the international community can lament Israel’s behaviour until we are feeling moved to tears by the injustice being done to the Palestinians. But sadly words are not enough and action is needed. It seems to me that the Palestinians and Israelis themselves need to find the motivation and desire to end this conflict and to pass on this power to the peace process. This is where the young generations come in. If they were to show a real desire for peace, to collaborate and work together, to show that it is indeed possible for them to get on, then there might be a glimmer of hope. Instead of being brought up to hate each other, they should learn to treat each other as equals and start a new tradition of complicity. Then, they would be able to renew the existing relationship between both sides and try and start afresh.
Both of these examples prove to me the importance of the younger generations being politically and socially active. Although the bigwigs of today are not in their 20s, hopefully some of us are the bigwigs of tomorrow, and we can set an example to the ones to come. We can renew trust and enthusiasm in the older generations and we can pass it on to future ones. How often do we hear that when young voters manage to mobilize and take action, the general turnout has massively increased and the result is a completely different one than if they had not voted? Latest case in point: the election of President Obama. So the only thing I can say is: get involved, do your part, and make a difference!
This article was originally written for The Vibe and may be found on their website.
Emma Brooks 