The midterm elections will be held Nov. 2, and there is about as much excitement on the campus as I have for going to the dentist. Very few students I know are voting, and no one seems alarmed by it. To me, 2008 was a year when young people everywhere came out and really made a difference. Two years later, we’re back to the same old apathy of 2006. Some shrug it off and just say young people are immature, do not care and will not make an impact. Yet, historically, it has not always been this way. What has happened with our generation? Why does no one care?
In preparation for writing this column, I started to browse the University Archives (which are fantastic, by the way). I found out that at one point students did care, they did vote, and they did protest. I have seen pictures of McKeldin Mall packed with students protesting the Vietnam War. I have seen pictures of students packing the steps of the Main Administration Building at the base of the mall to protest. I have even read stories of university alumni who can remember the National Guard coming to College Park and confronting students on the campus and on Route 1 with clubs and tear gas.
Yet, the history of activism at the university involves far more than just protests over the Vietnam War. This university has played an important role in the fight for racial equality and civil rights. In 1964, students organized to form a chapter of Students for a Democratic Society to combat racial segregation. Later, the Black Student Union was organized to speak out against racial inequality. Activists permeated the student government, and protests occurred frequently over many different types of injustices. A memorable protest was a sit-in held in response to the denial of tenure for two popular professors.
Given this wonderful history of activism and involvement, what has happened to students at this university? Have we lost our courage to fight against the current as so many brave students before us have done? Are we all content and happy? Or are we just ignorant of the issues? I just do not understand it.
Voting is a right for which people have fought hard for a long time. How can you just sit back and let your potential vote go to waste? We fought a war with the British to have the right to vote. People risked everything for a chance to have a say in government. But, nowadays, it seems we just don’t care.
I understand voting is somewhat of a pain in the neck. You have to register, drive a few minutes to the voting center, click a few buttons and then drive home. And I understand people are really busy and don’t have time to devote out of their days. I understand it — I do. But I think that not voting and not being an active citizen is one of the biggest disappointments in our great democracy. Elections matter. Protests matter. Your vote matters.
Cory Kutcher is a senior kinesiology major. He can be reached at kutcher at umdbk dot com.
