(I wrote this piece for the Commonweal Newsletter in the Summer of '05.  I thought it was relevant in light of this past election, and Chris' post today on The Importance of Generation Y.  It is vital that we start now in trying to understand and bridge the generational gaps that exists in the Progressive movement.  Hopefully this sheds some light on the reasons for the conflict.)

Stop telling me that I am out of my element! Stop telling me that I am morally corrupt! Stop telling me that I am the problem!

If it sounds like I have an attitude problem, I do. This Generation Y'er has a beef with his elders. Call me naïve, or call  me crazy, but I believe that my Generation (those born between 1977 and 1994)  is becoming the generation of the future. Right now, it is the older  generations that are holding this country back, not the younger ones.

Over the past fifteen to twenty years, there has been a steady drumbeat of  criticism directed against American youth. While the youth are becoming more  socially conscious and politically active every year, they are not being  embraced by older generations. Year after year, we are berated for our  "awful" attitudes, taken to task for our political  "apathy," and - above all - told that our popular culture is ruining  our lives. Only one of these claims holds some truth: youth political  participation. In 1996, youth turnout was at an all-time low of 32%. But in  2004, youth accounted for the largest increase in voting among all age groups -  a 10% increase over voting in 1996 and 2000, doubling that of the next closest  group. Despite pop culture, Gen Y seems to be "fighting" through it.

A friend of mine (whose in the campus Democrate org) just told me that they've just finished making a petition to get military recruitment off the campus (UC Santa Cruz) becuase they discriminate.  I wholeheartly agree that the discrimination of gays and lesbians in the military just plain rediculous, but I really wonder what kind of positive effect banning the military would have.