Gen Y Speaks

[babylonsister]

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/04/gen-y-speaks.html

Gen Y Speaks

30 Apr 2008 06:22 pm

This reader is not alone:

I'll just put that out there. If Obama is done in by this whole Wright thing I am done with politics. I can't invest myself in something that is so sure to disappoint me time and time and time again. If the Democratic party decides that it can not risk nominating a great and decent African American man because his pastor is a scary African American man, it does not deserve power because it will have caved to what is worst about America. Racists on both sides of the divide will rejoice at having taking down the biggest threat to their belief system since Martin Luther King....and young people like myself will burrow deeper into to the holes we were in before Barack Obama dug us out.

[Maddy McCall]

1. Sounds like a silly tantrum to me.

[cliffordu]

13. maddy and the low road......perfect!

[RandomKoolzip]

17. Wow. You're so good at empathy.

:eyes:

[Radical Activist]

20. I thought a silly tantrum looked more like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kzBvK2BFAw

All the more disgusting because it was a complete lie.

[Madam Mossfern]

2. As a baby boomer

I can't say that I blame you. I did the same thing after supporting Eugene McCarthy and witnessing the Chicago convention. This is the first election that has engaged me since then...forty years later.

Holy cow am I that old?????

[SoFlaJet]

3. sounds like 1968

all over again-have hope young America-we NEED you and you need this...it's YOUR world we're fighting for. Old people like us baby Boomers will only be here another maybe 25 years or so...we who are in our 50's are voting FOR you and our kids and grandkids

[rucky]

4. Mission Accomplished

Score another one for the powers that be.

I can't say I blame the guy, but the discouragement is just as discouraging as everything else.

[Writer]

5. Dear Gen Y'er,

Many in your age group have grown up shielded from the reality of disappointment, and the fantasy that "everyone is a winner." Unfortunately, sometimes you lose, and regardless of what happens this year, many in your generation will quickly learn the principle of picking oneself up and dusting oneself off - without your parents. I know it sucks, but you need to learn this so you can better tackle the challenges of life.

Sincerely,

A jaded, cynical Gen X'er

[babylonsister]

7. Maybe he just isn't willing to accept the racism he's seeing. Can't

blame him for that, oh jaded one. I'm in his camp myself, and I'm probably 30 years older than he is.

[Writer]

9. Dear one who is likely 20 years older than me,

I understand the disgust with racism, but one needs to learn how to overcome those obstacles, not run away from them. I think the Gen Y'er needs to learn that the concept of "post-racial America" is a fantasy that still has a long way to go.

Sincerely,

The Jaded Gen X'er.

[babylonsister]

10. How does one overcome those obstacles with

the m$m exhibiting those racist tendencies on a daily basis? Words are cheap, this is racism in action. How do you think these obstacles can be resolved if no one is listening or caring that it's going on? Pat Buchanan is a prime example; he gets paid the big bucks to spout his hatred, it's obvious, and he's still there. Any suggestions?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=5741442

[Writer]

11. Dear Blamer of Insitutions,

The media did not invent racism, but we did. The solution starts with us, and it won't be simple.

Sincerely,

The Jaded Gen X'er with two degrees in media studies.

[babylonsister]

12. Wow, you impressed me.

:eyes: The media is feeding the hatred whether you want to believe it or not.

[Writer]

15. Believe what you need to believe then. n/t

[Jed Dilligan]

37. Note: the poster works for "the media" and defends it regularly.

[Radical Activist]

14. You're a Gen Xer and you already sound like a condescending self righteous old fart.

Don't be angry just because Bill Clinton used our votes to get elected and then ignored young voters for 8 years. Just don't be fooled by the next Clinton who will go back to pandering to seniors like the party did throughout the 90's.

[Jed Dilligan]

38. Excellent!

From a 1974 vintage Gen X'er who never had any love for the Clintons.

[Hugin]

16. Dear jaded, cynical Gen X'er,

As a Tweener, I agree with your advice to the Gen Y'er. I've been horrified for years about some of the notions being
foisted upon the Gen Y'ers by a "too good to be true, unsustainable, gung-ho, media driven, economy". Instead of 'giving
up' at the first whiff of difficulty, I'd like to suggest they stand back up, dust themselves off, and "Give It Back!"

Sincerely,

An Outrage-Overloaded, Often-Overlooked, Tweener.

[Writer]

19. Dear Outrage-Overloaded Tweener,

Fight on and work on solutions - that's the spirit!

Sincerely,

The Jaded, Cynical Gen X'er.

[Radical Activist]

24. Many of Obama's Gen Y supporters I met also volunteered for Dean.

So at least some of them already know how to do that.

[Hugin]

27. And I'm very impressed by them...

:thumbsup:

[FatDave]

41. As am I.

I will be glad to have them running things 'round about the time I'm retiring.

[sakura]

33. Dear Gen Y'er

Don't give up on your beliefs. It's true that there are many who are very cynical, who've given up on the dreams they've had of making this country a better place for all of us. So when they see Obama and witness what his words have inspired, they tell themselves it just can't be true. His admirers must be cult members, Jamestownian kool-aid drinkers, Heaven's Gate members waiting for the rocket to take them away. Any excuse will do, really, because it's a lot easier to make up excuses than admitting their cynicism was misdirected. Otherwise they'd have to change their outlook and reconsider the many decisions they've made since becoming cynical.

It's difficult to do the right thing. That's why it's harder to be a republican than a democrat, IMHO. It's easy to take the low road, to pander for votes, to lie, to cheat, to steal. And it can be hard to defend yourself (or your candidacy) from people like that. Integrity doesn't sell on the cable news shows.

We still have to try.

It's in adversity that our character is tested. It's easy to hold armchair beliefs about the way the world should work. But when we're tested, we find our true character.

Don't give up.

A not-so-cynical Gen X'er

[otohara]

6. Me Too Andrew, Me Too

thanks for posting this.

[Cha]

8. It's about the mediawhore mind control..

Are we going to let it happen again? Or

NOT THIS TIME.

[palindrome]

18. I was in college when everyone was going green party

and Gore was usurped. I learned my lesson and stuck with Clinton (even though I like Obama). She's loyal to the healthcare cause, I could care less about whether or not she's the most left or not. I'd have campaigned for Kucinich if I did. :) I want more bang for my buck, to get more stuff done. I like the analogy of Hillary being like Reese Witherspoon in "Election". She knows what to do, even if she's not the most likeable! Anyhow I'm 28 and a lot of guys in my age group are coming off the Obama high like it were a sugar buzz. The grass is always greener they said, and I stuck with clinton. I'm glad I did now, and although I still like Obama and will vote for the nom., I learned from the Nader 2000 deal that sometimes you go with the sure bet. Also now that Mark Penn is gone, her campaign actually has a chance. If he hadn't have been there to f' it up, it would have been Clinton running against Edwards I believe. Democrats are simply too realistic to think they can throw another Mondale to the repubs, right?

[Radical Activist]

23. I think you learned the wrong lessons.

I also went to college when Campus Greens were bigger than College Democrat chapters. Bill & Hillary Clinton and the Democratic establishment ignoring the issues of young voters, while pandering to seniors, is exactly why that happened. Do you remember hearing about "prescription drugs for seniors" over and over again while hearing almost nothing about health care for people just getting out of college (the group least likely to have coverage) or any serious effort to increase student financial aid? And you want to go back to that? Bill Clinton nearly destroyed the future of the Democratic Party by being a constant panderer who didn't stand for anything. He completely took young people for granted and gave them no good reason to be Democrats, while the Greens talked about serious issues. Democrats would still be that weak on college campuses if Bush weren't such a fuck up.

Obama finally gives young people something to vote FOR. Stick with Hillary if you want but I'd expect 8 years of her playing it safe and ignoring young people to have the same effect it did when her husband did it.

[palindrome]

42. Great

So your point is that Bush is the reason Obama is doing well on campuses?

[Radical Activist]

43. No. I didn't write that.

Bush is the reason that the Democratic party revived on college campuses after 2002. Obama is a candidate who will finally give those young voters something positive to vote for instead of being another candidate like Kerry or Hillary who offered little to college students other than not being Bush.

[aquamarina]

21. Dear Gen Y

You cannot give up. This is the fight of a lifetime and I'm not even talking about Obama's race. This is so much bigger than race (or gender). This is about a fundamental change in politics. A shift of the power from the very powerful few to the masses. This is not going to come easy and as we've seen in the last few weeks, every obstacle known to man is going to be hurled at the Obama campaign - be it from a fellow democrat, the right or the media.

We have not only been conditioned to think about everything that is unimportant (lapel pins, pledge of allegiance, fucking freedom fries) but the mainstream media either can't or won't talk about the real issues because they have their own agendas and special interests to think about.

I too have been squirming in my chair with the wall to wall Rev. Wright coverage and have been wondering when the Obama camp would respond. And time and time again, I have been blown away by his composure and his confidence - that he is not going to sink into the swill of the political status quo. This takes incredible discipline.

I have no idea how this is going to play out. I believe in my heart that Obama will win because he has the delegate numbers behind him. But even if the unthinkable happens and the Clinton campaign is able to pull it off, this fight has been totally worth it and if it isn't our guy, the challenge is to keep the pressure on so the next time around it'll get a little easier.

Regards from a
40 something single white chick.

[babylonsister]

22. Very nice, kesasso. nt

[Uben]

25. We've got soldiers dying in Iraq......

......and you're giving up because you lose one election? What stamina! Look, you aren't going to win em all. I've won one since I started voting nearly thirty years ago. I didn't give up, give in , or give out. When the next cycle comes around, you do it all over again. If Gen Yers are all like you, our country is in serious trouble. Too many people don't give a shit. That's why we're in the shape we are today!

[babylonsister]

26. We have such a great opportunity NOW to get young people

involved; I hope we're smart enough to take it.

[Uben]

28. We have an opportunity every election cycle

You know that. This one is no different. Young people come in all different packages....democrats, republicans, and independents, and every one of them are important to our future. Clinton has thousands, if not millions, of young people voting for her , too. Do you hear them whining about giving up? If I do, they get the same message!

Tough Love? MAybe, but if you don't have a thick skin when it comes to politics, you definitely need to find other interests. Coddling to such statements by the OP does no one any good. We need fighters! Anyone can give up!

[Writer]

29. This young person's "threat" is being used as a pro-Obama sales pitch.

When the issue here is that this particular young person needs to learn about the tough breaks in life, and if there is a facet of society that bothers him, he needs to start working to alleviate the problem.

[babylonsister]

31. Now you're a psychologist. How quaint. nt

[babylonsister]

30. Not like this, not in these numbers.

Clinton could never have done this, and I can't think of another politician who has inspired the masses like Obama has. Remind me who if you can, cause in my 50 odd years, I haven't seen anything like this.

[Uben]

32. 50 odd yrs?

Then you lived thru the sixties, as did I. Remember? It was every bit as big as this, but a hell of a lot more violent.

[babylonsister]

34. Who was the candidate who inspired so much? JFK? I was too little

then to be paying any attention.

[Uben]

36. It was more the deaths of JFK, RFK, and MLK

Look, what I really want to convey to our young voters is that we are democrats first. We need to get a democrat elected this cycle. I am a Clinton supporter now, but in November, I am a democrat, and they should be too. We don't always get the particular candidate we want, but that is no reason not to vote or participate if that one doesn't get the nod.

It looks as if Obama will be successful, at this point. Hey, that is okay with me, I'm a democrat. I will contribute and participate in his campaign for president. He will do a good job, I am sure. My personal feelings are that Clinton will carry through with her promise of healthcare reform, and she has much more experience in that particular field than Obama, who I feel will have problems getting it done. That is my core issue because I am paying 13K/yr on premiums. Yeah, I'm looking out for myself on that, but if not me, who?

On the other hand, Obama would do wonders for the American image abroad. We Clinton supporters do not deny that. We also think electing a woman would also improve that image. Either way, we win. So, for a young man or woman to say they will cease to participate because one particular candidate wasn't successful, that is not a frame of mind I think we should support. We need them to be fighters for the democrats, regardless of who wins the nod.

I don't make posts to piss people off. I don't get anything out of that. I want every single one here to vote and support for whomever we choose for our candidate. Anyone not on board is clutter, and we will just sidestep them and get on with the campaign at hand.

[babylonsister]

40. Sadly, the deaths I remember more.

That's what inspired the anger back then. And thank you for your civility, Uben. As I said previously, I hope we don't miss this opportunity as Democrats.

[Neshanic]

35. Andy posts a letter about broken dreams and dissapointment. Classic.

[Jed Dilligan]

39. Before 2000 I did not believe in participating in national politics

I was an avid CA secessionist and I wanted the entire rest of the country just to vanish from my life.

In 2000 I voted for Al Gore knowing I was voting for the survival of the world, not for one side in a battle between two coalitions of rich old people who basically thought and acted exactly the same.

Now I'm at a crossroads. Obama's campaign will be the first national campaign I have ever worked for. Clinton's campaign will signal my retreat into strictly local issues. It's not a matter of giving up on politics, it's a matter of what can and can't be done. The idea of national policy leading to an overall more human-friendly operating environment is a wonderful dream, but I don't expect Hillary Clinton to deliver it. I'm not even that confident Obama can deliver it. I just know that he wants to, and she doesn't.

[olkaz]

44. Wow, I can't believe how many of you cynical pricks missed the point.

The point is that there is a **HUGE** opportunity to create an overwhelming Democratic majority into the future.

Refusing to acknowledge the opportunity cost of a Clinton nomination is short-sighted and self-destructive.

Oh well.