Fighting for our future in challenging times
Essay competition winner at the Yvote and League of Women Voters NJ-2024
History is in the making this year; records have already been broken, and we are more than 6 months away from November. Unprecedented, many say, I say, “Meh!”
The 2024 elections are a media delight. If all of this were some sort of advertised YouTube media short, it could not have been better coordinated. Maybe it’s the sensationalization of certain leaders’ traits, spotlighting the polarizing opinion of others, or “unpacking” the truly unhinged version of reality of some select few. While none of the above are inherently wrong-they are indeed perspectives- it is how these are packaged and exaggerated for our consumption by our media for the sole benefit of media that leads to misinformation, disengagement, and populism. When was the last time, we had a conversation about a candidate’s ideas, thoughts, vision, or concerns for our country? Our media’s role in sucking us back in for 30 seconds of vapid entertainment in the name of journalism is a sad change from when entertainers would become politicians to now when politicians are entertainers.
While blaming the media is straightforward and probably accurate, as consumers of the same media, we are as much to blame if not more. When did we decide we wanted to know more about what outfits the candidates wore last fall than what their position was on using child labor for making said outfits? Since when did we have to “fact-check”-I wish I could say what I want at school and have my teacher fact-check it later! In fact, why do we even have candidates who cannot stand behind what they say- have we lowered the bar so much for the highest office in the country? I am learning in school about the sacrifices made by all women and men of color in this country to be treated as equals and have a voice- and succeed. Yet, today, women in this country have less power over their own bodies than ever before. AI face recognition has been trained to overrepresent men of color over white men in policing and law enforcement- there is no legislative policy around the use of our own face to discriminate against us in this country. It is a sad state of the union when the men and women of the largest superpower have no representation in their own self- forget their government!
We are not going to change anything this election- it will be a media cornucopia. And maybe that is OK. Remember, when you and I directly vote for the President- that is the popular vote and well captured by the media. But the Presidential election is one of the many ways we can make our voices heard. I want to start local, where my voice is loudest. I want to start where my issues are felt by most people. I want to start where I can have a say in what happens around me.
2024 is the last time I observe from the stands.
2024 is the last time I let misinformation lead us astray.
2024 is the last time I let disengagement cause apathy.
2024 is the last time I let populism consume substance.
I vote in 2028- in 2028 “I am change!”
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