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Ask
Auntie Pinko
November
29, 2001
Dear Auntie Pinko,
I am a young liberal (15 year old sophomore) living in
a very conservative town. I'm not of voting age yet, and the
majority of my friends are Republicans. However, I'm very
interested in politics and hope to further pursue this interest
after high school and college. How can I get more involved
in politics and the Democratic party when I'm not old enough
to vote and don't have a lot of support from my peers? Please
help I want to learn more and become more involved, but I'm
not sure how!
Danielle,
Midlothian, PA
Dear Danielle,
I'm so glad to get your question. Auntie Pinko just loves
to hear from young people like you, who take a real interest
in the democratic process (and the capital-D Democratic process,
too!)
I can certainly understand how frustrating it gets when one
is surrounded by people who don't share - or even understand
- your convictions. But do not give up! There's several ways
you can develop your interest in politics and the Democratic
Party. In fact, you've already discovered one of them: visiting
Democratic Underground! Perhaps you don't know that here on
Democratic Underground, we have "Regional Action Groups" that
focus on connecting us and developing action strategies. Check
out the Northeast RAG's forum and leave a message asking for
links or ways to contact groups in your area.
You can also contact the Democratic Party directly. There
is usually a Party organization at the county level, even
if there isn't one in your town. And they can always use energetic
young volunteers, whether you are of voting age or not. In
fact, that's how Auntie Pinko got started in politics many,
many years ago. Although I was too young to vote, I made campaign
signs and posters, helped with mailings, collected resolutions
and ballots at the caucuses, and sold refreshments at local
nominating conventions. I got to know a number of wonderful
folks in the Party.
Read as much as you can. Auntie Pinko recently read Paul
Wellstone's Conscience of a Liberal, and I can't recommend
it strongly enough. But also, read newspapers. Even if your
local paper has a conservative bias, it will cover what happens
at county council meetings, school board decisions, and other
political arenas. You will learn what the issues are, and
how they play out in your local area. And read other newspapers,
as well, for regional and national news. You can do that online,
you know. Television and even magazines are worse than useless
for real news, but daily or weekly papers still have some
floating around amongst the celebrity scandal and puff pieces.
And don't think too hardly of your conservative peers. The
ones who are capable of critical thinking, compassion, and
creativity will eventually outgrow their conservatism, or
at least moderate it. They'll do so all the faster if you
can provide them, not with arguments and contradictions, but
with examples of real citizenship in action!
Best wishes, Danielle, and thank you for writing to Auntie
Pinko!
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