They say that kids are immature, that our opinions don’t count for anything. They
say that we should do what adults tell us, that we should take the future they give us.
That we don’t have a voice, that we don’t deserve one. They treat us like we’re not even
human.
But they’re wrong. We are citizens of the United States, and we should have the
right to dictate our futures. Children deserve the right to vote, because we have as much
at stake as anyone else.
The only legitimate reason anyone can give for kids not being allowed to vote is
that we’re not smart enough to make an educated decision. However, what these people
fail to realize is that kids learn faster than adults, and have as much access to the
necessary information as anyone else. Anyway, no adult is required to take an IQ test to
vote, why should we? Not to even give us a chance is an incredibly offensive to us, and
the common sense we have. After all, those who have been granted the right to vote have
proven, again and again, their ability to put the country into a state of chaos. To deny us
the right to do something that they have failed at so many times is self-centered and
hypocritical.
Not only is our lack of voting rights a disgusting insult to kids intelligence, it also
greatly affects our lives, more than one might think. Without voting rights, politicians
can simply toss us kids to the side without any repercussions during election season.
Therefore, politicians are elected not at all based on what they plan to do for kids. They
might mention education as a vague problem to throw money at, but never actually put a
shred of effort into looking at the problem from a kid’s perspective, and are to afraid to
try to make any real change. With kids representing almost 25% of the population,
however, they would be forced to make these changes, and kids lives would soon
improve.
Getting kids this right isn’t an impossible task either. The reason it’s stayed this
way for so long is that kids are taught from birth that there is nothing wrong with it, and
most have grown into adults still thinking this. However, minds can be changed. They
were before, after all. 1n 1971, the voting age was changed from 21 to 18. The
amendment passed easily, mainly because, at the time, 18 year olds were being sent to
war without being able to vote on whether they were deployed or not. This is definitely
unfair, obviously if you’re old enough to die for your country you’re old enough to help
you’re country choose a leader. Sure, 12 year olds aren’t being drafted, but we are
victims to a similar double standard today. Youth are affected by the laws only adults are
allowed to pass just as much as adults are. More importantly, those below the voting age
pay billions in taxes. Wasn’t the battle cry of the American Revolution “No taxation
without representation”? And isn’t it hypocritical of the adults who complain about the
taxes created by the congress they elected, to allow their children to be taxed without any
sort of say in how much they pay?
It’s wrong, it’s discriminatory, and it’s harmful to our country. I’ve been putting a
lot of blame on adults, but I also feel that some blame has to fall on us kids. To get
anything done we have to take action. We need to band together, to rally for our freedom.
Do whatever you can to call attention to the movement, hold a protest, go on a schedule
strike, write a letter to your congressman. When the media hears of your protest they’ll
make it national news. The movement will spread, and the world will be forced to change.