As many are anticipating, the president will be much more aggressive in his efforts on the campaign trail with the Nov. 6 election drawing nearer. Part of that aggression comes from the backing of his ardent supporters.

“We’re here to rededicate you to the power, the passion, the mystery and the ministry of rock ‘n’ roll.” As Bruce Springsteen told Guitar magazine in July 1999, rock ‘n’ roll — and music in general — offers us an opportunity to lose ourselves in sound, put our minds away and get in touch with our beliefs. “The Boss,” as he is widely known, comes from a working-class family in New Jersey and has made his mark as a musician with his resonating lyrics themed around the cultural heritage of the everyday American citizen.

He serves as a reminder of a man who, despite achieving immense success and making plenty of money, hasn’t forgotten what it means to be in the struggle to make it through the day.
However, as relatable of a man and entertaining as an artist as he is to many, the reach of musicians and entertainers such as Springsteen should not interfere with the choices we make in presidential elections.

The purpose of casting your vote in this election is that you are making the choice. Your parents, friends, companions and your favorite musician should not affect the way you vote on Nov. 6.

As the youngest generation of eligible voters, college students have a distinct voice in this presidential campaign, and it is your privilege and duty to exercise your own right to shape the future of our country. For many of us, this will be the first election we can participate in, and as much importance as groups put on making sure we actually go out and vote, just going to vote isn’t doing this process justice.

It’s not easy to block out the opinions of those you look up to, those who inspire you or those whom you trust before the election. There’s a reason why you like these people, and most of that revolves around the fact that you are like-minded. However, if we are going to make a change to the current dynamics America is facing, this has to be our vote.

For those of you who haven’t voted yet, you might not think your opinion matters in the scale of differing views that spread across the country.

But your vote, while singular in form, is extremely powerful in message. One day, our grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles won’t be around to advise us on the way our country should push forward.

While the things they have taught us throughout our youth largely have shaped whom we have become, this is the first time in our lives it has been determined that your opinion holds the same significance as theirs.

We still might be growing into our bodies and further developing our minds, but for now, the 18-plus years you have lived will be sufficient in helping solve the problems facing America.

At the Republican National Convention in August, supporters were treated with a special speech from actor Clint Eastwood. A man widely regarded for his dramatic performances in film, Eastwood was in rare form while interacting with a chair by the podium that simulated a conversation he was having with the president.

Although the speech Eastwood made was just another delivered by a supporter and not a reason to change your stance either way, there is something we can take from it.

Just as Eastwood did, Bruce Springsteen will perform for those willing to listen when he makes trips to Ohio and Iowa in the coming weeks to celebrate his passion for his political stance.

While movie stars, athletes and artists get the glitz and the glamour for the performances they put on for us, it’s easy to forget that they, too, are just one voice. We shouldn’t blindly follow their lead when exercising our right to vote, but we should follow their passion for their opinions when deciding how we will vote on Nov. 6. You might not be able to get thousands of people to rise to your feet with your voice, but if we stand together, we can have just as much of an impact.

Michael Briggs is a guest columnist at The State News and a journalism senior. Reach him at briggsm3@msu.edu.