I am 18 Years Old. I am Extremely Politlcal. Does That Make Me The ENEMY??

First off, let me say that I have not encountered this on DU but encounter it pretty much everywhere else online and even amongst my family where I debate politics. (and i love to debate politics anytime, anywhere!)

Lets give you some background, I first became interested in politics during the 2000 election. I, like many of my peers, was laying around the house bored during the summer and just happen to stumble across CNN when browsing the channels. Needless to say, from there on I was hooked. I would watch CNN/MSNBC for hours and hours a day, I'd have all the political shows memorized, I'd stay up till 2 or 3 am watching rallies on C-SPAN.

Needless to say, since election 2000, my interest in politics has only matured and intensified. Now, thankfully, I get the least of my political news from mainstream corporate controlled TV. I read newspapers, magazines, websites, watch C-SPAN, have political discussions on many websites, still watch hours of political news a day, and was known as the "politics" kid in high school.

Well now, to my point. There is a huge problem out there with people discriminating against me politically because of my age, it happens all the time. I will be debating a conservative or anyone for that matter and the second they find out I am 18, they basically dismiss absolutely everything I say as unfounded on not based on the "facts".

I need not go into all the times I've been called a "18 year old thinks he knows everything liberal", because there would just be too many instances to name.

My problems with this are many (obviously), chief amongst them being how could you dismiss everything I say simply because of my age? Doesn't it matter even in the slightest that for the past 4+ years I have been more politically aware and have aquired more political knowledge than your average 50 year old american?

Since when is age a substitute for reason?

This doesn't only happen amongst nameless faceless people across the world wide web, it even happens among my family. My entire exteneded family (aunts, uncles, etc...) are religious conservative republicans, and whenever I try to debate politics with them whenever I throw out a fact they can't explain or a GWB quote they simply can't challenge, they tell me "you just don't understand, when you're older you'll understand."

Well you know what, I do understand, and I don't have to wait until I am older to let my thoughts and opinions be heard.

Then you have politicians who at every turn try and court my generation with the mantra "your thoughts and opinions DO matter!".........well, as long as you agree with them it does.

I just had to get this off my chest, as its been eating away at me for far too long, and I doubt it will end anytime in the future.

:)

Welcome aboard.

If it weren't your age, they'd find something else. They don't have a good answer, so they resort to "When you're older, you'll understand."

I was liberal when I was 18. I'm older now (55), and I'm still liberal.

I get discriminated against for something I'll never outgrow...being a woman. :)

Just hang in there. It's not your knowledge they are questioning. It's a perceived lack of life experience. That's a hard one to communicate over anonymous electronic means.

You're not a threat at all. In fact, it's people LIKE you that are our BEST weapon!! :toast:

to discount your ideas. Now, it is your age, later, it will be something else.

I remember when I was your age I figured out a way I could watch all three evening newscasts (there was no cable back then). I ate, drank and breathed politics. I wish I still had that degree of passion. Enjoy. We need more young people like you, not less.

and more radical than you were when you were 18... and meanwhile, some of the jerks that were once allies have split to take up residence with the other bourgeous classists...

When you're 18, people expect you to be a little on the left side of liberal. When you're 40 and a militant unionist, they just want you silenced. =)

than probably 75% of 'Murika. Keep talking whether anyone is listening or not!

where she talked about how she hopes for a day when women aren't called "opinionated" but smart and well informed just like men.

Well I feel the same way, I hope for a day when the youth of America, who have ALL earned the right to their opinions, instead of being called "opinionated" (as I am always called) will be called smart and well informed just like rest of the adults.

tell them "It must really eat you up knowing that an 18 year old knows more about the world than you do"

It's what is in your heart. You know that "politics" is about making peoles lives better and making this a better world to live in in the future. You are lucky to be able to grasp the reality so early in life. Do not be deterred. Follow your heart and your dream.

My parents thought I was going through a phase when I started having strong-held beliefs of my own... they thought I was being brainwashed in college but I had basically always been liberal. I just started to articulate it when I was in my late teens.

Old enough to get drafted, but not old enough to think??? Gimmee a break ! You are more informed than ALL of the willfully ignorant repukes !!!! Welcome to DU !!!

is to help persuade other 18 year olds that you know to register and vote (for Kerry of course). The young people you know won't think twice about your age, and if you know your stuff (and it's clear you do) kids who are thinking of voting but don't know much about the state of affairs will listen to you.

My 12-year old daughter, I call her Semi_subversivette, is much more politically aware than most adults I know. She makes it a point to stay up to date and asks questions when something doesn't seem quite right.

I am 42 years old. I held out on marraige and kids for as long as I could grasp onto my bachlerhood.
I now have a 3 year old named Chelsea (yes, named after Clinton)and a 1 year old named Owen.
I hope they are just like you when it comes to being involved.
Hold your head high. You are surrounded by family that just don't understand how terribly our pResident has mislead everyone.

I don't mean to say that disparagingly.

I too have family and dear friends who are the same. Some of them are very intelligent but just DO NOT SEE THE TRUTH.

Some are duped by the media, some just cannot stand the thought that a President could be so mentally incompetent and misguided so they purposely turn away because the truth is too much to bear.

I have stopped talking to someone I grew up with and have known for 35 years because I know he is smart... but he watches Fox News and reads the NY Post and still insisted on talking politics with me.
I begged him to stop but he did not listen. I will try to patch things up with him after the election but I am not answering his phone calls and pretending I am not home when he comes over.

On a happier note, I have shown 5 die hard republicans the truth and they are voting for Kerry.
(It was a combination of giving them articles and facts, lending them the documentary Outfoxed and paying for thier ticket to Farenhiet 9-11.)

Just hang tough. And don't worry about being called "kid" once in a while. I think you are wise and I am proud that a teenager is so in tune with his countries leaders and how it affects his life.
But 42 with kids is a LONG way from 18 years old and sometimes the word "kid" might slip from my lips too!

Keep up the great work.

I first became interested in politics at age 7, I started volunteer work on campaigns at age 12, and really found my voice for the first time around the age of 16. For the most part, no matter what I said, the response was always something infuriating like "how cute!".

People bitch and moan about young adults being apathetic toward politics but then they're completely condescending cowards those who are truly interested. This is one of the reasons why I like DU so much...we love the younger activists and have a ton of respect for people like you.

My advice is to stick to your beliefs, know your facts, and when people want to judge you more for your age and less for your mind, call them on it. This is your country too and the only difference between your citizenship and the citizenship of older Americans is that if the draft comes back, YOU will have more at stake personally.

I've been known as a "thinks he knows everything 18 year old" since I was 18, and I'm 32. Don't worry, closed minds will always be closed minds (barring a dose of LSD or something).

..and I've been interested in politics since I was about 18.

Sadly, I'm Canadian! I probably know so much more about this stuff than the average American.

My advice to you: don't get too obsessed with the whole thing. Think of politics as just a game (which it so often is), and there's more to life. Don't let it interrupt your education, either! That is, unless you're in Poli Sci..

I think I've become a bit too 'involved'. I'm currently on my third political website, I have a whole stack of political books lined up to read, and I'm obsessed with political news/blogs/websites. Sadly I will graduate next year and my major & minor have NOTHING to do with politics!

If Bush steals another election I'll trade homes with you.

:bounce:

JUST KIDDING TOM (Ridge, DHS)

as you get older. At 18 you don't have the clutter of a mortgage, a family to support , a job you hate but can't quit, repair jobs that never end,memories of trying to make a difference, or having time to think and not just react. I know you must feel the little thrill of rebellion and that thrill never leaves if you seek that basic face of truth. Left or right keep searching and don't just follow because you get patronized by the older ones who stopped searching. One thing 18 and 80 have in common is the right to listen and filter the truth by what we see and not what we are told to see.

Ask difficult questions instead of making statements. Ask them questions until you paint them into a wall with their own contradictions. That way, there is nothing to argue with you about. All your doing is playing your "child role" and expecting your "elder" to explain his "complicated and wise" way of thinking.

You probably won't convince anybody of anything. A very wise man once wrote "Nobody has EVER won and argument". What you CAN do is plant the seeds of doubt. The seeds will grow and fester and hopefully that will drive a person to change their viewpoint. If not, well you weren't going to convince them anyway ;-)

As a 14-year-old I was taking on my insanely conservative civics teacher on an almost-daily basis. And as 12-year-old I was the only vocal supporter of Al Gore in my seventh grade social studies class.

And it seems like even kids my own age dislike the fact I am outspoken politically, that they don't like to have the nice safe "my parents are conservatives so shut up" boat rocked. It makes for some pretty lonesome days sometimes.

Hang in there.

and I still get the "you just don't understand" line. It's not your age - it's their insecurity and inability to answer intelligently.

But good for you for your interest and passion! One of the things that simply infuriated me in the 2000 election was when Bush said that he doesn't expect his daughters to care about politics or what he does - "what's important is that they enjoy themselves." That's paraphrased but his meaning was clear.

I absolutely disagree. I've brought my kids up to feel that their voice is vital, that their opinion counts and that it's up to them to carry the future. My oldest daughter (23) is a Republican (hanging my head in shame) which bothers the crap out of me but I'm glad she has an opinion and, to give her credit, she debates pretty well. My younger (22) is a very liberal Democrat, well informed and passionate.

Your voices are what the country needs. Anyone tells you you're too young, tell them people your age are fighting and dying in Iraq every day.

I'm 20 and obsessed with politics and in debates I have with family members they pull the age card on me as well.

Luckily, once you get into college (if you plan on it) you have many oppurtunities to work with other liberal/political youth and change this country.

Just the fact you are 18 and involved in politics speaks volumes of your intellegence and patriotism.

youngred, slinkerwink, and many, many others.

Being young can be an asset here, but be forewarned, it DOESN'T GIVE YOU A PASS, either.

Welcome to DU, friend. Now, put up yer dukes!

:toast: even if you amy be underage!

We have very young looking 21 year old running for the board of the local college. He's a Green and my local Dem party is supporting him. We think it's great he's interested enough to run for an office at this age! We have high hopes for him!

Don't ever let anyone discourage you. Eventually they will have to respect your opinion on merit if you keep making your points articulately and in a civil manner.

:toast:

Julie

As long as you can back up your arguments intelligently they aren't going to like it. Women have been treated like this by (mostly) Republican men forever, regardless of our age. You just have to keep up the fight and don't back down from them. The truth is on your side.

I get that attitude a lot on the web, although not so much at DU (except during certain primary fights....*growls*). All I can say is to reassure yourself that you're more politically aware than they are, shrug, and move on.

hopefully, you're the future. Keep up the good fight; we're all in this together.

I know exactly how you're feeling bro.

No one has a right to belittle your citizenship. You are exactly what our country needs, what it must have to survive.

Thank you for existing.

Keep it up and don't let anyone tell you that you're too young to know better.

Anyone in their right mind would encourage you to keep it up. An apathetic youth is what we don't need.

You have the capability of influening a lot of people your age to get out and vote.

A lot of kids won't listen to us old-timers (reaches for cane) and they're liable to pay more attention to a peer.

On a side note, this is my oldest daughter's first election ever. She's so excited and when she talks about it, she can barely contain herself. She's a Kerry supporter, BTW!

Cyn:)

Just remember that every vote counts and once you're of legal age, age no longer matters! P.S. I've voted Democrat ever since I turned 18 and that was 22 years ago!:yourock: