If you ask someone outside of our generation if they think college students pay attention to politics or are passionate about the important issues being discussed by the presidential candidates, they would probably say no. We are the generation that people label lazy, uniformed, careless, etc., but we think we’re the complete opposite.
Recently, I was given the opportunity to travel to California as a delegate for the College Debate 16 movement. At this gathering, there were about 150 students representing every single state in the country. We discussed the issues that we felt were most important to us, to our generation. The point of this movement is to get college students involved in the presidential election, go out and vote, and believe that their voice matters.
After coming back from this event knowing that the 5 most important issues to us that we collectively decided on were foreign policy, social justice/civil rights, economy/income inequality, immigration, and education, I wanted to see if HCTCNJ collegiettes agreed or disagreed. I surveyed the HCTCNJ staff, and here’s what they said the most important issue to them was:
An issue that matters to me most is national security. I feel like in the recent months there have been an abundance of mass shootings, bombings, and hate crimes that need to stop. It cannot be America’s new normal. –Amelia, Junior at TCNJ
I think the most important issue that matters to me is how each candidate wants to maintain and celebrate the diversity of this country. I feel like America needs to be celebrated for its diversity, because I am appalled that race is still a heavy issue today. –Junior at TCNJ
Mass Incarceration and the school to prison pipeline because America has the highest incarceration rate per capita in the world and the effects of mass incarceration are felt in many aspects of politics and economics. –Jennifer Loughran, Junior at TCNJ
Women’s rights issues such as funding towards Planned Parenthood because access to healthcare should not be negotiable but seen as a right. –Senior at TCNJ
Immigration is really the main issue that I’m concerned with. The U.S. is a country that was built on immigrants and as of now, the process to become an American citizen is way too long, and it seems as if nearly every day we’re hearing talk about making it harder for citizens of certain countries or religious backgrounds to come here. –Sophomore at TCNJ
Women’s right to pro-choice and access to proper birth control and abortions. –Alena, Senior at TCNJ
As a future educator the state of our education and how the next president plans to work on education reforms that will affect me right now as a student and later as a teacher is something that really matters to me. In addition, immigration reform also matters because as a child of two immigrant parents who are US citizens when presidential candidates talk about sending people back to “their country” and speak negatively about immigrants that also affects the way I perceive the next president and something I worry about. Lastly, as a student and a middle-upper class citizen the state of our economy and taxes is something that is also important because money does matter and if they raise taxes or decrease employment it will also have an effect on me. –Junior at TCNJ
Foreign policy is the most important issue because regardless of who becomes president the American population as a whole has major problems with how both candidates have and most likely will handle foreign policy, so I hope that we can move towards more peaceful, less imperialistic legislation. –Aphrael Boltas, Junior at TCNJ
Overall, these collegiates had some very strong opinions, opinions that reflected exactly what the CD16 delegates decided were the most important issues to us. In what each of them stated, you can feel the passion that they have for their issue. Everyone is passionate about something, and that passion can directly or indirectly be related to politics. The decisions that are made by men and women in government positions in this country affect us all, even if you don’t directly see that impact. It is up to us to use our passions to drive our interest in the presidential election, and to research the candidates’ platforms on each issue and then make an educated decision on who we want to vote for. There is still time to register to vote if you have not done so already! Head to https://tcnj.turbovote.org/ to get everything you need to register. The deadline to register to vote in NJ is October 18th ~ don’t miss out!