Most of my younger friends in their late twenties believe there is no good reason to vote.
They believe politics are totally corrupted and a vote will make no difference.
Many torturous lunch debates in the teacher's lounge unhinge my sense of hope and justice for a better United States government-on all levels.
Having grown up throughout the Kennedy-Nixon-Carter-etc. I participated and observed how we, as a nation could step up to corrupt politics, dishonesty and illegal moves and make a difference.
We made a difference as a populist when we said enough of Vietnam.
We stood firm and rooted out the insidious infection in our top government in Richard Nixon-Spiro Agnew and the White cronies who fed off one another's lack of moral purpose and dishonesty at levels up to and including the United States Attorney General.
Our country is spiraling down a toilet bowl of fecal dishonesty-arrogant in its' demeanor-
The most frightening aspect is the blatant-in-your-face-diffidence government at all levels present corruption.
We are told it is so-and so what?
Men resign-not in shame but because they are forced to do so by other party members for fear of -not tainting them-but of getting caught as well.
I retract my outrage at my young fellow professionals.
I am not so sure anymore they are incorrect.
It is a hopelessness -a weary-overwhelming-sense of futility-tinged with grief-that touches the core of my being-this feeling inside of me-still clutching my moral outrage and sense of justice-seems almost Pollyannish is this new generation's resignation to corruption.
Each day I am in my classroom with third grade children-I remind them-some day you will be the ones responsible for the decision making in our country. It is a serious and honorable duty of citizenship. Never fear to step up to the plate and decide for what is right-
remember it will affect all of us-not just you-but your children and their children...
We must always remember we are not in this world just for ourselves-we are responsible tor one another..at all levels
It is their parents cynicism-sense of powerlessness-vague detached feelings my children must overcome.
Ironically, it is those just and conscientious citizens of the sixties and seventies who raised those cynics.
