It is true we live in a democracy, but a government of the people cannot be by the people unless the people are civically engaged. We at PESA believe that crucial engagement begins with our youth.
The most important, fundamental tool of expressing our political opinion is our right, indeed our duty, to vote, but active involvement does not begin and end at the ballot box. Causing the government to be reflective of the viewpoints and desires of the governed can only be done by an informed populace being civically engaged with the individuals causing the edicts being rendered and the manner those edicts are being enforced. When that occurs, a healthy democracy exists, with its populace feeling engaged with the system instead of detached from it. But one has to be educated on how to influence and cause the legislation and the policies to be enacted through healthy, legal civic engagement. With the voting age at 18 and the ability to register to vote at 16, it makes sense to educate high school students on how to be civically engaged.
Social protest is one, though not the only, means of civic engagement. Social protest brings with it the hazard of arrest if one gets involved with an action that turns in the wrong direction. Many times, these demonstrations go awry because of a sense of frustration that the desired change is not occurring fast enough. That is why coupling social protest with other avenues of civic engagement is necessary and effective to cause change in a reasonable period of time. But many do not know how to lobby, how to be active in their political party of choice, how to use the legal system to effect change, all of which are effective components of civic engagement.
As an organization, PESA has always strived to be politically agnostic, but we strongly encourage our staff and the youth they serve to be as personally engaged and outspoken as possible with their political parties of choice, platforms and issues they feel passionate about. That is the lifeblood of a healthy, vibrant democracy. ■
