Have Americans Lost Their Political Passion?

By: Lauren Wood
Posted In: Opinion

Recently, thousands of college students and young adults around France have assembled protests, marches and petitions. These are not in response to something typical like a war, genocide or an unjust political prisoner.

Instead, their protests are aimed at a new law passed by their government that affects labor laws for their age group. While I watched these massive groups of twenty-something’s rally together in revolt, I found myself wondering “where is

this passion in the United States?”

We have now spent about four years in

what many people would consider an unjust and unnecessary war, yet the overall

amount of protesting in the U.S. is absolutely minimal, especially among the college generation.

Before I continue, I would like to clarify three things; first, I’ll be honest

and admit I have not done my part to assert my opinion either. I have not led any protests or taken part in any mass petitions. Second, there are plenty of

passionate people not just in the U.S. but also right here at Salve.

I’m not trying to suggest that they do not exist or diminish their efforts. Finally, I

am not recommending that anyone get up and grab a flag to burn and organize a loud violent protest on the lawn of Ochre Court.

All I’m trying to do is point out the fact that it seems our country has a bad

case of political apathy. We haven’t always been this way of course and in fact

it seems we are upon around protest and change.

We wouldn’t have left the British control, ended slavery and given women the right to vote without social and political concern and activism. Even just a generation ago, thousands of people our age led massive protests for peace, to end the Vietnam War.

Even in the early 90s people seemed to get fired up over “free Tibet” though that may

be due mostly to the Beastie Boys involvement with the cause.

The contrast between the political environment in the U. S. during the Vietnam

War, and now seems extraordinary mostly because of the similarities between

the situations. Students lead protests, burned draft cards and flags, wrote

letters and organized sit in to protest the U. S. presence in Vietnam.

Today there are millions of people (never mind just college students) who oppose the

Iraq war which continues on, month after month with little protest or fight

from the people. This is pretty much the same principle yet there are completely different reactions from people. Have we given up? Are we so sick of hearing about the war that we just want to ignore it?

In France, students have organized themselves into great masses to speak out

against the new law. I wonder if students in the US would even notice that such a law had been passed here, never mind care about its ramifications and do something to try and stop it.

The global community already tends to regard the U.S. as a nation of ignorance, apathy and self centered concentration. College

graduates will soon take over leadership of this country and before we do, shouldn’t we take a more active political role in our small communities?