Get off Tumblr and Do Something

Robert Gassman
Class of 2018

For the past few months, I have had the privilege of working in the Kentucky State Senate’s Democratic Leadership Office. This has been an incredibly enriching experience as I have been able to observe the inner workings and machinations of state government and the interpersonal relations of politicians, constituents, advocates and lobbyists. Every day I am in Frankfort, I witness scores of constituents, advocates, organizations coming to have their voices and perspectives heard in the debates over our Commonwealth’s future. What has been most shocking to me is the lack of engagement by the next generation of Kentuckians: our youth. I have found that the concerns of youth are most often voiced by educators and parents rather than the young women and men who will be the leaders and decision-makers of our state’s future. With the divisive political climate of today and the call for action by many of our nation’s youth, I urge my fellow millennials to stop re-posting memes. Stop complaining on social media about a system that has forgotten the expenses of education, the difficulties obtaining gainful employment, and the various issues that face our diverse communities. The framers of our Constitution envisioned a system of government separated into federal, state, and local levels, with each division becoming increasingly closer to the daily lives and concerns of the constituents.  State and local governments decide upon the most foundational issues in our daily lives. If you want to be the change you wish to see in the world, why not try first confronting the issues in your neighborhood?

Robert Gassman, of Louisville, Ky., is a junior McConnell Scholar studying political science, history, and Asian Studies.