Our grandson graduated from high school recently, and he will be attending college in the fall. We have watched him grow from a baby to a fine young man; the time has passed so quickly. What awaits him in the future? Frankly, I am concerned about the country and the world he will now be navigating as an adult.
I graduated from high school in 1969. It was a tumultuous time in our nation’s history with a president who was elected on a “law and order” ticket who would, a few years later, resign in disgrace. The Civil Rights movement suffered from a leadership void after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. the previous year. Through my years as a college student, our country was involved in an unpopular war in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Eventually, over 55,000 young Americans lost their lives in that war. Students held anti-war protests on college campuses, and when the National Guard was called in at Kent State, shots were fired, killing 4 and wounding 9 students. 1969 was the year of Woodstock, the iconic music festival that attracted approximately 400,000 people with a huge lineup of performers, and an abundance of drugs. 1969 was also the year that our country landed a man on the moon.
Back then, we didn’t have cell phones or immediate 24/7 access to television news. I lived in a dorm on campus, and we had a small TV in the lounge on the first floor. Watching the nightly news was not on our agenda. Back then, I believed that politicians and elected officials had our best interests at heart. I was trusting but also poorly informed.
Over the years, my trust in our political leaders has been shattered many times, but never as clearly as in the past few months with this President and his administration. (Read Chasing Marbles here.) And it’s getting worse. The good news is that people are not taking this administration’s actions lightly. They are fighting back. Millions of people in over 2000 cities in our country participated in the “No Kings” Protest today. Groups are mobilizing to fight back against authoritarianism and a President who behaves like a king when our country was founded as a constitutional democracy. All of us - ordinary citizens - have a responsibility to vote to elect those who will make the best decisions on our behalf. We can be part of the solution.
What we’re seeing on the news can be frightening, but we are not helpless. Ordinary citizens and organizations are banning together and we are making a difference. My husband and I are part of a growing organization called Hawai`i Coalition for Civil Rights, composed of a diverse group of concerned citizens. We share concerns about how the President’s actions impact those in our State and plan how to ensure that our residents are supported. I’m hoping we can get our young people involved as well; after all, it is their future that is being impacted by today’s actions.
I have hope that our young people are better prepared than I was when I graduated from high school. After all, they weathered a pandemic and learned to navigate new technology with more confidence than most adults. They can share opinions on matters that they are interested in. They have many more professional options about what they aspire to in their future. As these recent high school graduates begin adulting, here is my advice to them (not in any particular order):
- Know your values and what you believe in. This is your guiding light, your moral compass, and your reason for your choices in life.
- Choose kind. If we all choose to be kind to others, the world would definitely be a better place. Treat others with respect; this is what is sorely lacking in this Administration.
- Be adaptable. Our world is changing rapidly so you will need to adapt as well. Ask questions. Learn new skills. Try new ideas. Flexibility is essential to survive in today’s world.
- Make connections, be curious, and keep learning. You are entering a space that is new and sometimes scary whether it is continuing your education, getting a job, joining the military, starting a business, or something else. What you learn today can impact you in the future. Don't hold yourself back. Be a lifelong learner.
- Take care of yourself. This means taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. You can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself first.
- Make a difference. Your actions can help to create a better future for others in this world where we are all interconnected.
- Be informed. Know what is going on in your community, your state, the country, and the world. There is no excuse for not being informed when we have access to information all day, every day.
- Use your voice. Your voice matters. Register to vote. Volunteer. Get involved.
- Make time to explore and discover new ideas and new passions. Be a lifelong learner.
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