Whether or not you were born into this world with your parents holding up a stuffed animal of either a elephant or donkey, it is inevitable that our first opinions concerning politics came from our parents. We were all taught from young ages how to brush our teeth, ride our bikes, and which president mom or dad loved or despised. Therefore, it is common for teenagers to hold the same political views as the people who raised them. There even is a term to describe the root of our political values: Political Socialization. It describes the process in which individuals acquire political beliefs from human learned values either through school, media, or families. Our families give us our first exposure to the complicated yet crucial role of politics. Yet, how do many teenagers have different beliefs than their parents? The simplest answer would be curiosity.
There is no denying that Republicans and Democrats disagree on many issues. Throughout President Obama’s presidency, bills struggled to be passed through the Republican majority House of Representatives whom were elected in 2010. Sometimes, family households can feel similar tensions through differences of opinion. I felt it myself growing up in a conservative household. My parents both grew up Catholic and raised me with many republican ideals. I accepted their values and even tried to join young republicans as a freshman. Once the 2016 election began, I began to feel very passionate about social issues and realized that I wanted Virginia to remain blue.
For many of us, it is terrifying to think of how our parents will look at us when we walk into our homes with a “young dems” or “young republican” shirt. At first, they might shake their head and wonder “where along the line did things go wrong”. Or on the flip side, teenagers may pester their parents as November 8 approaches to choose the “correct” candidate. Whatever the situation, many teenagers have come a long way from always just accepting what they are told. At some point in our lives, we began to wonder what color our hearts bled for: blue or red. We questioned both sides, saw their strengths and weaknesses and decided which we fit better into.
The bottom line is that everyone is free to their opinions. Although some may resent the other side, there is no right or wrong party. Most of our parents know this. They may have to bite their tongue when the Clinton or Trump bumper sticker is put on our bumpers, but they must have a sense of pride for the young adults we are all becoming. Our parents are probably also very impressed by our passion for politics. For the past few elections, polls have shown young adults having typically lower voter turnout. Therefore, it is important for high schoolers to become aware of current issues and always fight for things we feel passionate about. Different political views do not matter but making a change does. If you want to see change, go out and get people to register to vote. Join a political club. Go canvassing. Do something to move your party along.
In the end, we all owe a huge thanks to our parents for raising us to the people we are today. We would be nothing without their guidance and support. Yet as young adults, we have the power to stand up for ourselves and decide what we believe in. Thanksgiving dinners might be awkward after our next president is elected, but it will be in good spirit as the American people will have made their choice.
