Since the election is tomorrow I decided to pick it up this evening when I got home. I got my answer. It's 14. 14 campaign mailers in about 5 days. From both parties. No one is blameless in this endless blame game we call election season.
This morning in 8th grade language arts we were doing vocabulary. Our first word was "apathetic." So I shared an example with the students: Some people are apathetic about voting. (Which drives me nuts, but that's neither here nor there.) But just hearing the word "voting" unleashed an outpouring of thoughts from my students.
These students -- these 13-year-olds, these 8th graders -- said the following things (and I quote):
- Miss Lafferre, none of these candidates ever say what they will do for you. They just say "don't vote for my opponent."
- It's so annoying! "I'm Alison-Something-Grimes, and I approved this message because Mitch McConnell can't hold a gun right."
- "I'm Mitch McConnell and COAL!"
- I can't watch TV for two minutes without seeing one of these commercials. You know how many I saw in a row the other day? Six. SIX!
- Why can't they just tell you what they'll help with?
- Miss Lafferre, do they think that if they say something bad about their opponent -- like Evan Jenkins hates kittens -- then someone will just be like, "Really? He hates kittens? Well I'm not voting for him then!"
And these are just the ones I remember. I finally told them that I'd like to film them saying all this and then send it to the candidates. They were like, "Will you do that? Really? That'd be great!"
America -- THIS is what we've done to our children who cannot even vote yet. We have caused children who are not even old enough to register to vote to absolutely hate the democratic process and election season. They are already fed up with political elections and they are THIRTEEN. And BOTH parties are responsible.
Candidates, I ask you -- are you proud?
Anna, I just read this post, and I think you should DEFINITELY film your kids comments and send them to every candidate in your area. I have been marking every piece of political mail Pam & I get as follows: "Return to Sender - we do not accept political propaganda." I don't think it helps though, because I got three from the same candidate on the same day - all with the same address (which is no longer correct, but there ya go) Unfortunately, now that the primary and mid-terms are over, the 2016 presidential campaign starts. UGH!!
ReplyDelete