I really did!
Hey, there fellow millennials. I know at least a handful of you glance at this blog of mine every now and then. And today, I have a very important issue to share with you: VOTING!
I know, I know what you’re thinking: “My vote doesn’t matter,” “I don’t have time,” “It’s only the Midterm Election.” All of those excuses translate into: “I don’t care about my democratic right to have a say in my country.” And the fact that this is the overwhelming opinion of eligible voters under 25 is awful! Our generation has the education (and student loans), the technology, the skills and the enthusiasm to make a difference in this country. But we can’t do that if less than a quarter of our demographic shows up to the polls!
Nerdfighter and Vlogger Hank Green does an awesome job discussing this issue in this video, so please check it out! Here today, I’m going to do what I do best: talk about cartoons.
I’ll admit, I think the campaign process these days turns off a lot of young voters. With all of the political slander, accusations of extreme acts, booming voices and obnoxiously large type, it’s almost impossible to learn who a candidate really is from an advertisement that only negatively addresses his or her opponent. And I also think that this negative campaigning culture discourages young adults from pursuing factual information about the candidates and real issues.
Now, I’m not saying that airing animated, cheery commercials with catchy songs would automatically increase awareness and action to vote – but I’m also not saying that wouldn’t help! I’m just using this platform to share 5 cartoons that should remind you of what’s awesome and important about voting this year!
1. Schoolhouse Rock “Rock the Vote” – This is one of two videos that I recommend from Schoolhouse Rock because it is simple, fun and addresses the importance of voting!
2. Ted-Ed “Does Your Vote Count? The Electoral College Explained by Christina Greer” – The Ted-Ed series is really awesome and I am so glad I discovered it today! These are slightly more “grown-up” animations and info graphs, and they are very thorough in supplying information.
3. Ted-Ed “The Fight for the Right to Vote in the United States with Nicki Beaman Griffin” – This may be the most important video I share, because it reminds us that U.S. citizens have fought for our right to vote today. And as a special note to any young women reading this: women did not have the right to vote less than a century ago. So, please, show your appreciation to those who fought for this right by voting!
4. Schoolhouse Rock “I’m Just a Bill” – True, it’s not exactly about voting, but it is a classic!
5. You’re Not Elected Charlie Brown – If these elementary school-aged cartoon characters value the electoral process and voting, shouldn’t you? Plus, this also displays one of many excellent speeches by Linus.
{Emily's Flip Book} 