Age Restrictions in Voting

I believe it’s time for a change. I believe it’s time for America to wake up and decide that they want that change. We cannot continue to allow people to determine our future and run our country, who have no idea of the real problems in society today. So, why are we? A nine year old is not allowed to vote because you wouldn’t expect them to understand everything going on in the country. The same goes for the elderly, you wouldn’t expect someone in their 70’s to understand certain things such as Net Neutrality, drug regulation, prison reform. By making a law to stop senior citizens over the age of 65 from voting in America, this would stop the older generations from slowing down the process of the youth who are only trying to update our perspectives to match the world we wish to see become a reality. This is about listening to the voices of the youth who are forced to live in the world that the older generation has left to us.

Those who should be allowed to vote and have a voice to change our future, should be the ones who have a future in our country. People 65 and over, cannot take care of social issues and basic rights that were illegal when they were younger. Most people over this age have already made their impact and have no business impacting future generations that they won’t be around to see.

The average death of Americans today is around 78, older people are more susceptible to certain diseases such as Alzheimer’s, influenza, and pneumonia. For example, an 82 year old woman from Texas voted for the first time, and died four days later. She was in hospital care, living off an oxygen tank when she voted, her family says she was excited and “voted straight-ticket Republican.”

I am not trying to say what views are right or wrong, everyone has rights to their own opinions. However I am saying, that if you are 25 years old you are going to be dealing with the fallout of every vote, but if you are 70 you do not really have to worry about how it is going to affect you personally. And I know some people may be thinking “well young people don’t understand what’s right for our country and they don’t care to vote anyways” How about we give them a chance for themselves?

I am also aware of the fact that young people die too, young people die everyday so why are we only talking about older people? My answer to that is because the youth has their knowledge and views of what the younger generation wants and what is needed. Older people are way less likely to vote for the rights of the such communities such as the LGBTQ, same sex marriage, and allowing people of color to have their voice to make a better life for themselves.

Now I get it, older generations can help prevent the younger generations from making the same mistakes and repeating the past. Yes I know, when you are the older generation you would not want your opinions and your experiences to be ignored. And it’s true, just because younger people think their right, doesn’t mean they are right and just because people are older, does not make them wrong. I also get the fact that it isn’t fair to take away someone’s right to vote when there are still laws that affect them. However, I believe America has not made this law because they want to protect the elderly, to maintain their “make America great again” ideals. Keeping elderly in office and allowing them the opportunity to decide our future is the reason why America is the way it is today.

This is not about excluding elders nor is it about stereotyping that all older people are wrong, or that they all think the same, they’re all going to die anyways why listen to them? No, because there are people out there who have lived and are living way past 65 and are doing just fine. There are older people who are informed in the youth and have changed their perspective on certain topics. There are older people who do not agree with the perspective of the average white man from Missouri. This is about allowing the youth to change their lives and country for the better. This is about listening to the voices of the youth who have to live in the country and society that the older generation has created for them.

Some people may be thinking “So now what? What can the older people if they can’t vote?” Well, I say they can use their voice to persuade and urge more people who can vote, to vote because if one day this becomes a law, they may not have that chance anymore.

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