Response to PSAs We Watched

The PSAs we watched in class were mostly creative and unbiased. They tried to appeal to a younger generation of voters who may still be debating whether or not they want to or need to vote. As a teen that will just be missing the "voting age deadline" for this coming election, I am disappointed but I am also much more aware of the propaganda and ads I see in our media. The nice thing about the PSAs we saw was that I didn't notice any strongly urging the viewer to vote one way or the other, but the PSA just encouraged the act of voting which should be the most important. Although there wasn't any pushing for the voters to choose a specific side, most of the PSAs did seem to be slanted more to the left than anything, regardless, they were helpful and captivating.

Response to "Why Vote?" Discussion

It was clear that many people in the class have different opinions and all of those who shared were very passionate about those opinions. Initially, I felt that it would be a good idea to have a mandatory test or evaluation to determine political competency. As we continue to explore the topic as a class I feel less and less comfortable saying that any one person wouldn't be able to vote because of lack understanding of our government (even though I still do feel as though everyone SHOULD have a bare minimum of comprehension). It seems as though creating an exam could begin on positive note, but then may, upset older voters that don't feel like they need to prove themselves, be difficult to regulate, hard to determine "fairness", debatable answers, unfair for people who want to only vote on specific propositions etc. There seems to be far more perspective problems for the idea to easily be established. Voting is important, but it is also important that the voters are educated, confident, and opinionated citizens with all the facts they need to make helpful contributions to our nation.

Journal: would i vote if i were 18?

If I were 18, I would absolutely vote at this coming election. I have always felt that someone doesn't make an effort to make a change in an area important to them, they don't deserve to complain. If for no other reason than to protect and justify my future frustrations, I would vote. It is also important to know that i can affect some event during my lifetime or at least know I did the minimum to try.