Political action, not Panera
I’ve yet to get involved with any local political group since graduating college. I’m not sure if it’s just a lot easier in college, but in the real world, it seems a lot harder to make commitments to groups or to find others that share your beliefs. But with 2012 almost a year away, I figured it would be a good time to scope things out.
I attended my county’s “Young Democrats” meeting last week for the first time. It was held at a nearby Panera, and after walking around the dining area expecting to stumble upon a large group of 20-somethings chit-chatting about health care, taxes, and other topics of the day, I spotted a quiet group of 3 guys with notebooks in the back. After confirming that this was, indeed, a meeting of the Young Democrats, I took a seat. I assumed there would be more on their way, but they quickly informed me that I had just increased their normal attendance by one.
I had been looking forward to meeting new people who not only held similar political beliefs, but were also willing to take action and fight for them. True, I had met 3 new people who fit that description, but this is a large county with many young people, some of whom are Democrats. (I don’t know the exact numbers, but it’s certainly more than 3.) How could this be? Even if 2012 is too far away for some to get involved, what about 2011? With so many issues still outstanding, like Senate Bill 5, the American Jobs Act, environmental legislation, two wars, and more recently, the marches on Wall Street, now is as good a time as any to take an interest in politics.
I know I have many peers that are already involved in politics. They simply aren’t attending meetings at Panera. And good for them. They’re actually taking action, instead of talking about it over soup or salad. But where does that leave people like me, who want to be involved, but are incapable of finding a group that can point them in that direction?
Do you know of a group like this in the Cleveland area? If so, please let me know! Otherwise, I’ll have to resort to my college ways and just create my own.
October 4, 2011