In response to his letter titled Difference between political bickering, intelligent debating (SN 11/27), I say Nathan Calverley might be new to the bickering that is politics, but anyone who has paid attention to any group of people with differing opinions will find that intelligent debate, petty bickering and everything in between are simply run-of-the-mill occurrences.
And Mr. Calverley’s statements are in the same boat. There have always been those who are turned off by politics and resign to the notion that there is simply no hope, but at least those who engage in intelligent debate, petty bickering and everything in between are attempting to make change. As one of the debaters/petty bickerers who engages in such discussions, I am sick of people who become apathetic at the first sign the politics they want to engage in are not exactly friendly and welcoming.
Nobody who ever wanted change entered an arena that was exactly what they wanted from the start or that was sympathetic to their views. Soldiers wading onto Omaha Beach didn’t find Germans waiting with open arms, and civil rights activists didn’t take part in sit-ins in restaurants untainted by segregation.
The lesson of this letter is to be the change you want to see. Instead of simply giving up at the first sign of adversity, understand that you, like everyone before you who wanted some sort of change, are entering into an uphill battle. Instead of chalking up the next election to “more of the same” simply because you feel you can’t win, get out there and start the change — it has to start somewhere. If all the apathetic people in this country united to form a political party and actually voted, they would win every election.
Georg Schuttler
political theory and constitutional democracy and international relations junior and member of MSU Democrats
Support student media!
Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Discussion
Share and discuss “'Be the change you want to see' apathetic voters need to care” on social media.
