Because the November elections are really beginning to become a major issue in Americans' minds, I decided to do some field work on the upcoming election. I have always wondered if the cliché regarding the fact that one can learn a surprising amount from children held true for something like politics. I decided to test that theory this summer, mostly because I am currently co-directing a "nature" camp for middle school children, so I really couldn't ignore that opportunity. I figured that I would ask the children for whom, if they were of age, they would vote. Because the elections are just around the corner, I reasoned that the kids would have to have had at least some political exposure, if not from their parents, then from the media.
I asked the children my question about the upcoming election; although the president for whom they would vote was not always the same, the reasoning for the votes were surprisingly alike. Each child would say something like this: "I would vote for John Kerry." When asked why, he or she would respond "because I don't like Bush." Likewise, the children who said they would vote for Bush said they "didn't like the other guy." What surprised me the most was that quite a few kids would respond "because my dad doesn't like Bush" or "my mom doesn't like Kerry," indicating just how much influence parents have on their children's political views.
A few weeks ago, The Onion ran an article mocking the fact that Americans can't decide which president to vote against. Although the article is facetious, there is an overwhelming truth buried in it. I do understand that the data I collected is not perfect, but the fact remains that if I were to poll people who were of voting age, many if not most would respond that they would vote for a specific president because they do not like or respect his opponent. It looks as though The Onion just might have been right.
George Washington warned Americans that the one thing that would tear this nation apart would be political parties; right now, it looks like he just might be right. Although political parties have been around for centuries now, the escalation of the who-hates-who-more election might just be the key to the end of the world's strongest country.
I had the pleasure of interviewing David Bazan, the lead singer of my favorite band, Pedro the Lion. When I asked him who he was going to vote for in November, he responded: "Bush. I hate the guy, but I'm certain that he is going to speed the end of this country. The literal, physical end. It would be one hell of a show."
I think that deep down, Americans know that something big is going to happen soon. No one really knows what that event will be, but the fact that there is such hatred for both of the presidential candidates and even people of the opposite political party simply shows that America might just be on its way down.
Even the children know that. "My family is moving back to Israel," one child told me. I asked her why, and she said "because my family does not feel safe here anymore." Likewise, a boy from Iran said the same thing. This increasing tension is beginning to make people feel unsafe in the land of the free.
I'm not trying to promote some kind of Kumbaya lifestyle where we all sit around the campfire holding hands. All I am attempting to show is that America has changed, and it's not for the better. We, as Americans, have the natural right to oppose any negative change to our country. I firmly believe that the people must go out and act for change. Something is wrong within America. The children know, so I think it's time for us to do something about it.
Matt Dearborn is a Trinity sophomore.
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