2 of 20

Yes

Write now Article Tools

I'm sixteen, and I believe that eighteen is way too young to vote, because I'm in the generation that votes more for American Idol than they would for any president. I'm in the generation that cares more about who's dating who than the fact that our teachers don't get paid enough for their hard work. I'm in the generation with the highest unemployment rate. I'm in the generation that cares less about grades and more about appearances. I'm in the generation that talks more about shoes, make-up, music, and celebrities than they talk about abortion, health care, stem-cell research, and taxes. I'm in the generation that has an epidemic of obesity, bulimia, anorexia, depression, and suicide. I'm the generation that is so self-centered that most of them aren't even aware of the voting age. I am in the generation that doesn't care.

I might trust myself to vote for political issues in this nation, but looking around at the vast majority of my peers, I wouldn't trust them to vote for prom queen. Their responsibilities include grades, chores, and occasionally getting a license, and most of them fail at just that. The average grade in my chemistry class last year was an F, there were four Bs and one A. It's not that hard to pass a class, but they don't care. I've heard of four car accidents, and been in two where the driver was a teen, and it's not that hard to drive properly either. I know a lot of kids who are absolutely rude to their parents, and don't care what they have to say.

My generation does not care. Most of them are uninformed or ill-informed. Most wouldn't even register to vote. We're aware of global warming, but do we do anything about it? No. We're aware of the war in Iraq, but does anyone at my school protest it or support it actively? No. We're aware of the build-up of trash, the oil spills, starving kids in Africa, lack of recycling, stem-cell research, abortion, crime rates, and other political issues, but nobody cares enough in my generation to do anything about it. All anyone cares about is their precious social life, their myspace, and their boyfriend.

I'm glad to say that I'm one of the kids who does care. We're a rare bunch, but we are out there. There's simply not enough of us to give us the vote at eighteen. Twenty-one seems a lot more reasonable. At twenty-one, we have the full freedom to do anything that was previously illegal. We're not underage for anything. We're in the real world; dealing with health care, insurance, fiscal responsibility, finding a place to stay, higher learning, employment or unemployment, and we're face-to-face with real issues. At twenty-one, who's dating who has become significantly less important than whether or not you're going to eat tonight.

I'm sixteen, and I don't want to vote when I'm eighteen.

Learn more about this author, Abigail Holden.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Is eighteen too young to vote??
We want to hear your view. Write now!