Please just listen. A view at 22.

I’m 22. Let me give you one take on the youth vote as derived from our experience. I am going to give my blunt assessment.

Many of you grew up during a time in which the United States was one of two global world powers. We had the strongest middle class in the world. Most people could find a job, work hard, and retire decently. There were exploited minorities- African Americans, LGBT, women, and the lower class- but the middle class was robust enough to consider the pleas of the most downtrodden as an unfortunate consequence of the world, a cause of their own lack of industry, or something that is improving slowly but surely.

Most of you think Socialism and Communism are bad words. You equate these words with the Soviets or Mao. This is obviously a direct result of the Cold War and McCarthyism’s lingering effects. We did not grow up in this same environment. Russia was just Russia for me growing up, just a country. China is, and has been my whole life, far more capitalist than communist. I experienced no Cold War. No Cold War propaganda. No Cold War nationalism that equated the enemy with communism and the good guys with capitalism (or “democracy”). I think this is an important point, but far from the most important in our generational divide. I identify as a Marxist and as a Socialist. Why? I read a lot + my experience as a lower class American + my sympathies for the downtrodden. 

Let’s continue. Let’s consider our experiences still, though. Your recent memory probably unfolds like this: Reagan fucked everything up, shit continued poorly under Bush I, Clinton comes to town and things improve- the country is doing damn well, in many respects, Bush II comes and… yikes. Obama strides in, makes some notable improvements but R’s stymie him mostly.

All the while, your financial situation is more or less OK. Not good. But for most people, life continues OK. Things were good in the 90’s. The Clinton’s were good. Bush really fucked up (big time). And now things are a little better again. 

I get why you think Clinton is a good candidate.

Here’s our experience:

We grow up. Bush is the first president we can remember. Everyone says he is awful. I don’t really know anything at my young age but this was more or less ingrained in me via my family and environs. My personal family experienced severe poverty before, during, and after Bush. In that regard we’re a little different than normal but from observing peers I know the general story. As stated above, things were tough under Bush particularly in ‘08, obviously. Things slightly improved for some since. But now we’re at the age that we’re on our own. We never lived through the relatively “good” years of Clinton. Instead, what we see with a Clinton president, is: The Crime Bill, NAFTA, WTO, DLC, no action on climate change, welfare reform, deregulation (especially of wall street), and general corporate-friendliness.  Those are not good things. We have no inclination towards the good ole days cause we didn’t experience them. Instead we’re living the repercussions of those good ole days: financial instability, climate chaos, oligarchy.

We live in a world in which the minimum wage is a starvation wage. A world in which student debt is fucking crippling. YOU DIDN’T HAVE DEBT LIKE WE DO, THIS IS FUCKING STUPID. ALL OF OUR LIVES, YOU- THE ADULTS OF THE WORLD- TOLD US TO GET AN EDUCATION AND NOW WHAT?  That education is CRIPPLING US. So many young people = fucked by student debt. Yeah, it’s a pretty big issue. We live in a world in which there are no jobs anyways so fuck it, we can’t even find work to pay our debt cause trade deals let corporations say “Peace out!” Most scaring, we live in a world in which the climate is on the brink of collapse. I will have to deal with your sins. THANKS.

Thankfully, in part because of our experience, many in “this generation” are inclined towards militant activism: Occupy, climate warriors, and BlackLivesMatter. All our lives we’ve been told how important it is for us to be involved. We’re getting involved. And what is the response from the “establishment?”

No.

You young kids are just idealistic. You don’t understand. That’s not how things work. But Clinton has more experience. BLM is too radical. Occupy didn’t know what it was doing. Obama is TRYING. We need to expect gradual change in terms of climate policy. We need to compromise with a minimum wage. 

Wtf?

Have any of you read a history book? You wanna know how shit gets done in this country? People hit the streets. The Revolution, abolition, suffragists, the labor movement, Civil Rights, Women’s Rights, AIM/Red Power, LGBTQI rights, and now, hopefully we can do this, a connecting BLM, climate justice, labor movement.

We elect bold candidates. We make demands. And we hit the streets. Enjoy the tunes, please actually listen. They’re wonderful, artistic expressions of the angst, uncertainty, unease, and desires I think are prevalent among “millennials”

I’m sick of being told to wait my turn.

If we’re fucked up, you’re to blame.

Solidarity with BlackLivesMatter.

Election time’s coming, who ya gonna vote for?

So why Sanders? He’s speaking out against this fucking bull shit. Hide behind your qualifies, your facades, if you want. Use your excuses, whatever. But we’re coming. We’re done with this. We’ll either win, or there will be massive social unrest. I’m not saying Sanders supporters will riot, I’m saying that without his policies the downtrodden will rise up (who may or may not be Sanders supporters). No more generational oppression. We’re growing.

[Qualifies: 1. obviously many “older” people also are Feelin’ The Bern. Y’all the amazing anti-war, generally progressive people who we can learn from. Right on!” 2. Many of you, on both sides, were also fierce fighters for social justice during the good ole days. My statements there were to reflect *most* people then (inclusive of R’s). 3. Probably more, alas.)

EDIT: Wow! Thanks for all of the responses, mostly favorable (even most of the HRC supporters). For those who continued to patronize, well… you just don’t get it. But, I am super appreciative of the positive responses. Thank you! La luta continua.