Had lunch today with my twenty-six year old son and his girlfriend down in San Diego. The talk, as usual, was politics.
I should report that all four of my children are proud liberal Democrats and Obama supporters. Some liked Clinton, too, but ultimately they are happy with the Obama candidacy.
All of their friends are Obama supporters as well, even my son's co-workers at a businsess publication. It seems the young are wildly enthusiastic about Obama.
Those who are my children's ages (20's and 30's) will ultimately decide the future of this country. And from what I see, they will take it in a liberal and more open-minded direction.
Young voters, for instance, are not afraid of their fellow gay citizens. Most of them have gay friends and have been to gay weddings (and before weddings were legal, committment ceremonies).
Most have either lived with their spouses prior to marriage or don't consider it a terrible sin to do so.
Most are pro-choice, not because they approve of all abortions, or because they like the idea of abortion, but because they do not think it is right for the full force of the government to come down on desperate pregnant women, especially when those women are left to fend for themselves in Republican administrations.
My children have friends of all races and ethnicities. One of my eldest son's best friends is a Muslim from Morrocco who is as American as any Christian you could meet.
Three of my four children have been to Europe, and the fourth will hopefully get there soon. They have spoken to people in many countries who have expressed their disappointment in the direction America has taken under this administration.
One of my sons is married to a lovely girl from Puerto Rico who is bilingual, and if and when they have children, the children will be raised to speak two languages.
This is the future of our country: a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, tolerant, colorful stew of people who are gay, straight, rich, poor, white, black, brown, and "swirled" as my dentist's bi-racial granddaughter calls herself. This is the coalition that has formed the base of Obama's support. These are the educated and open minded young people who, unlike Reagan Democrats and Republicans, do not see government as the enemy, but see government as one crucial element of a society that can be made to work for everyone.
These are the idealists, the hopeful, the dreamers, the visionaries who see past skin color right into the content of someone's character, as Martin Luther King dreamed Americans would someday do.
These are the people who will save this country and bring it back from the brink of destruction it has headed towards for eight years.
I sincerely hope they succeed in my lifetime, and I would like the first chapter in that success to happen this November. I think it is possible, though we can never underestimate the lies, smears, fearmongering, and distractions the Republicans will dish up, not because they put "country first," but because they put themselves first.
So to any young people reading this, we oldsters are counting on you to get everyone you know to vote. Don't let your friends take the easy way out. Don't let them be slackers on election day.
Usually the young are told to look to the old for guidance, but in this country at this time, the elders have failed. They have either deliberately tried to destroy this country and its promise, or they have stood by and let it happen.
This is your moment. You can put them on notice. You can take back the country they have tried desperately to spoil for you. You can tell them, as Obama told them, ENOUGH!
Yes, you can!
