Too young or too old, too busy, too innocent-- none of these is an acceptable excuse.

As the search to find loopholes in everything is growing, naturally, the role of excuses in American culture is widening as well. However, I feel that there are few excuses for not exercising one central tenet of an American life: participation in that great enigmatic entity known as the government; in fact, I can only think of one excuse: ignorance.

I am often disillusioned by the apathy evident in the youth of my generation. The value of political activism is frequently shrugged aside as more of a frivolity than a duty. However, the history of the people of America is a history of political revolutionaries, visionaries, and just regular people standing up for their rights.

My political activism started in seventh grade, when I was introduced to the workings of the American government. My earlier educational training in the topic consisted primarily of pithy summaries of political events and teachers preaching complete worship of the “Founding Fathers.” However, seventh grade was a developmental demarcation for me between ignorance and knowledge. I learned how the government functions, what the government can do, and, most importantly, how it can do better.

My first taste of political action came when I heard about a school breakfast bill that was being debated in the state legislature. The bill would provide breakfast to schoolchildren whose families were not able to afford it. It seemed like a common sense bill that would be easily passed, so I was surprised to learn that it had failed to pass in many earlier tries. I then decided to take action. Along with a friend, I proceeded to find all the phone numbers and addresses of the government representatives in the state and called them up one by one, along with sending letters to their offices.

Although I ended up talking to mainly receptionists, I felt that I was contributing and doing something logical instead of only complaining about the bill not being passed. A few weeks later I learned that the bill had been ratified; I realized that of course it wasn’t only because of my phone calls and badgering, but I felt pride in what I had contributed.

Since that first foray into political activism I have done more letter writing and calling as well as volunteering for a few political campaigns. I regard it as a privilege and a duty. The ability to influence the government in America is often taken for granted. My family is one of immigrants, including myself since I was not born in this country, so I feel that we must take advantage of what we are able to work with. My parents did not imbue on me the frustrations with the government that many longtime residents of the United States have; instead I have been able to go forward with unabashed idealism.

The popularity of political activism seems to go in cycles- war is commonly the motivating factor. However, I believe that periods in which there is no war should be regarded as fertile ground for political activism. It is during peace that much change can be enacted. Thomas Paine writes in The Crisis, Number 1 that, “The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” In fact, we are always in a permanent crisis: a crisis between the central questions that affect the policy of the government, between what is right and wrong, ethical and unethical. The revolutionary writers believed that every citizen that lived in America should exercise their voice and opinion, an idea that still is relevant today.

The divide between political leaders and their citizens appears to be growing wider to many people, however, it does not have to be this way. Every American is able to be a political leader in their own way by taking strong political stances and influencing America in the direction each sees fit. The upcoming elections are your chance to stand up and make a difference. It is important to get yourself involved in the democratic process.

One of the beauties of America is that through this process, a diversity of opinions will be heard; however, first people need to be more engaged in expressing their political opinions. Although the definition of what it means to be an American will continue to be hotly debated, it seems natural that one of the central facets of being a citizen in a democracy is taking part in it- I believe that is truly one of the main components of what it means to be an American.