By Hannah Fine
CHICAGO — I know that expectations are incredibly high for President Obama, even as he enters the first few days of his administration, and it is difficult not to try to add to those lofty hopes for what he will accomplish. Still, I think he has already achieved one notable success before even setting foot in office: He has shown the activism and deep belief in social justice of America’s youth.
I think that teens and college students in this country are often considered to be a little lazy and apathetic about the future. The clichéd example would be our generation’s meek response to the Iraq War compared to the dramatic protests against the Vietnam War. Still, there can be so many different forms of activism, and pushing for political change is no less important than any other kind.
And I did see young people trying to push against the status quo. Just like Caroline Kennedy’s children, I too convinced my parents to vote for Obama. At the time they were leaning towards John Edwards, a reliable liberal who also happened to be white and male. Although they admired both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, they couldn’t actually envision our country voting for either of them.
Growing up in an environment where I was always told I could be whatever I wanted to be—that there were no artificial limits placed on me because of who I am—I have continued to try to believe that should, and can, be true for everyone. I think that is an increasingly common phenomenon among youth, but more and more so among everyone.
And an optimistic way of viewing the world ended up creating the incentive for real action with tangible results. Last year, while I was still in high school, I spent many weekends canvassing neighborhoods, handing out nametags at fundraisers, and cheering at rallies, and it seemed like so many students were getting out there in some way to make a change that it was more odd not to volunteer for your candidate of choice.
Then, on Nov. 4 in Grant Park, surrounded by millions, some crying and some laughing, and many wearing newly purchased shirts reading “I witnessed history in Grant Park,” I watched Obama’s victory speech, and I felt how incredible it was that this one person could bring countless others together. Still, even for an eternal optimist, it seemed like all of this action and service centered around a single figure would not necessarily translate into a lasting commitment.
However, now that countless numbers of people, both young and old, are mobilized and energized about the possibilities and the need for results, I am sure no one is ready to return to complacency. Obama has put himself in position to capitalize on the excitement and goodwill with his Day of Service on Monday, providing anyone around the nation with the opportunity to volunteer on MLK Day. But, of course, his plans go much further than that. He wants to expand AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps, but beyond any specific ideas the Obama administration will implement over the next four years is the symbolic power of a past community organizer in the South Side of Chicago achieving the highest position in America. Suddenly service becomes not just an item on a resumè or requirement for graduation, but a way of life, which we have all already seen can create great transformations in society.
In the middle of his inauguration speech, Obama took the time to honor those that serve America, “because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment—a moment that will define a generation—it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.”
