Young People Speak
(from an email I received today regarding Howard Dean)


We got a lot of useful information about Wa's caucus system. I liked that. However, we didn't have a chance to discuss how to involve young people before I had to leave. As a young person myself, I would like to contribute my 2 cents. I got involved with the Dean campaign because of a tv commercial where Dean urged Americans to stand up to George Bush. I literally stood up and started clapping. I hadn't heard ANYONE on tv ever say anything like that (and it was about time somebody did!)... anyone i had heard of in the news who had criticized George Bush would come out and apologize within days. I didn't think they should have to (isn't it free speech to disagree with the president, or think he's an idiot? I would never apologize for saying i think he's an idiot. i do think he's an idiot, and i'm not sorry for that.).... anyway, I think a lot of people in my generation are tv junkies. we love music... if we have cable, we love MTV, otherwise we love Friends and other non-cable shows like that. put young-people geared commercials on MTV, and non-cable stations when they're airing sitcoms. but make those commercials both FUN and informative. (I'm partial to the Rock the Vote commercial on Dean TV). include hip music, hell, get Howard to rap about how he would make education more affordable. I would definitely respond to that. It's been a big issue for me for the last 4 years. (that, and i'd just love to see a presidential candidate rapping on tv.)... if the young generation is going to respond to him, he got to speak our language. he's got to be fun, but also have a very meaningful message. we don't get excited by stodgy old men sitting down and telling us about the war in Iraq (well ok *I* do, but a good deal of my friends don't. We get that on the news, and from our fathers and grandfathers. it doesn't exactly make us jump up and down and run to the polls in a frenzy. talk to us about issues directly affecting us, and be laid back and fun about it. i think that was more than my 2 cents worth. :)