What can you do for your country?

Diamond Jenkins
Blue & White Flash / Associate Editor

I am a big believer that the current generation has been spoiled. We can get access to almost any opportunity; so why take advantage? And, the current generation seems to be addicted to everything just being handed to them and for some, that includes a sense of entitlement relating to the government.

On Tuesday, Nov. 6, America and the whole world gathered to watch Barack Obama be re-elected as the President of the United States of America. Many have called Obama the Internet President because of the unprecedented way his campaign used social media to  raise funds, raise awareness, connect to the younger generation and ultimately outmaneuver his opponent Mitt Romney.

Four years ago, Obama pushed the message change and hope. Now, four years later, his message is one of moving forward.

After listening to his 20-minute speech after winning re-election, I was inspired by President Obama’s words urging people to come together to work to improve education, develope innovative ideas and solutions to common problems, reduce the deficit and improve the environment.

He said: “This country has more wealth than any nation, but that’s not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military in history, but that’s not what makes us strong. Our universities, our culture are the envy of the world, but that’s not what keeps the world coming to our shores. It’s the belief that our destiny is shared, that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another.”

People ages 18 to 29 made up 19 percent of voters in this election cycle, up 1 percentage point from 2008, according to early National Exit Poll (NEP) data. President Obama won this age group with 60 percent support. Of all people under 30 who were eligible to vote, at least 49.3 percent did register and cast a ballot, a number that could rise to 51 percent in the final analysis and basically match the youth turnout of 52 percent in 2008, CIRCLE reports, based on its analysis of NEP data. That’s between 22 and 23 million people.

As it was for other Americans, the economy was the top issue for young people heading into the election, surveys have shown. Unemployment for 18- to 29-year-olds is 12 percent, compared with under 8 percent for the nation as a whole, according to Generation Opportunity, a nonpartisan group launched in 2011 to engage young people on economic issues through social media.

The bulk of young people voted to give the president four more years to try to make a dent in the issue of the economy. Only 38 percent of young people believe that today’s political leaders reflect the interests of young Americans, according to Generation Opportunity polls.

As a young voter and a college student, I am asking the question, what can my generation do now to help the country continue to move progressively forward? We have to remember that it is not what the country can do for us, but what we can do for your country.

I feel that young people can put effort into the continuation of President Obama’s plans for the next four years. Meanwhile, keep an eye out for a cause and/or an organization that particularly speaks to you,  that exhilarates you. Then dive in and focus your efforts on the service you can provide others. You’ll be more engaged if you concentrate your time and resources on a cause or effort that you truly believe in. We have to learn how to provide and develop justice within our communities and not indulge ourselves on dependency from the government.

President Obama stated recent storms show how Americans put aside differences, work together; that Americans together fought back from recession; that the middle class thrives if everyone gets a fair shot, does their fair share and plays by the same rules.

I say let’s all do what we can for our country.

The views expressed in the commentary are those of the writer(s) and in no way represent the views of The Blue & White Flash.