Many college students across the US are not educated on political events, and fighting the ignorance means having the initiative to take advantage of events such as the “Politics As Usual” panel that was held Wednesday in the Cougar Den, hosted by the Eta Mu Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
The panel consisted of SGA President Michael Harding, Houston City Controller Ronald Green and Michael Lactson. After presenting a YouTube video about the education funding issue, they discussed how Pell Grants are being cut as well as other government sources of financial aid. Recently, the budget cuts increased from $52 million to $62 million, reflecting a 20 percent loss that will directly affect minorities.
A member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority stated, “Although the NPA and the NAACP went to Austin to debate the board, we need to unite as a student body and as universities.”
As controller for Houston, Ronald Green spoke authoritatively to assure that the people’s voice was relayed into action.
“People need to see you. As long as you do not see the people it is easy to make cuts,” Green said. “There are people in the House and Senate who have won by 2 and 17 votes, so thinking that your voice is insignificant can actually be very significant.”
The panel went further to discuss preparation for voting.
“How do you suggest college students educate themselves on who the politicians are and what they advocate?” student Jordan Haywood said. “An ignorant vote is just as valuable as no vote.”
To learn more about politics, browse websites that target both your interest and level of understanding — CNN may not be as easy to grasp for some people, so using local sources such as newspapers or news station websites can be much more helpful.
Although college is a time to network and acquire skills, it also vital to avoid gaining a single-minded dedication to self-interested pursuits because it disregards the upcoming generation. It is important to note that every decision you make affects others as well.
Current students are now receiving government aid for education because older generations took their children’s welfare into consideration with their vote. It may be hard to see the value in voting now, but it will certainly pay off in the future for the well-being of all.
