As a feminist from the 60’s, I am so thrilled that the millennials are thinking for themselves and not allowing themselves to be bullied into submission to vote for Hillary. When my generation was young, we didn’t listen to the ‘establishment’ then; I sure wouldn’t ask young adults to step in line with Hillary’s right-wing ‘establishment’ now. I believe that Susan B. Anthony would be proud of how far we have come — and how young women are speaking their minds and making a difference.
It is appalling that there are people who would try to shame young women into voting for Hillary just because she is a woman. At the very heart of feminism is the belief that women can make their own decisions and cast their own ballots. The suffragists implored us to be true to ourselves.
I heard these women’s voices long ago, they echoed to me from another era. They comforted me when I was struggling as a woman in a man’s job in the 1970’s Air Force. Their words reached me through the distance and pushed me onward. They were telling me to listen, to watch, to learn, to act — and so I tried.
When my uniform was covered in hydraulic fluid from cleaning the giant landing gear struts of the C5A, I didn’t mind. I would look at those glistening silver pillars holding up a beautiful giant bird perched upon the tarmac and think, “Job well done”.
When my parka was covered with de-icing fluid and my body was frozen from spraying the airplane’s t-tail from a cherry picker 70 feet in the air, I didn’t mind a whole lot. I would go into the building to get warm, and hearing the plane taxiing to the runway, I would think, “fly safe, my baby”.
When some of the Senior Master Sergeants were ignoring me as the “crew chief” of a plane (what does a woman know?), I would find a way around them, and take comfort in the flight crew applauding me as I resolved the problems (you’re a woman? we didn’t notice). I would watch the plane lifting into the air and feel the thunder of its power, and I would think, “I’m so lucky to be a part of this”.
And I was always aware that it was the women who had fought before me who had even made this possible — that I, a tiny nobody from nowhere, could serve my country as an equal to a man. So, I couldn’t let them down.
Now, I feel the need to speak my own mind and tell the millennials that they don’t have to listen to me or anyone else — but should vote their consciences. Young people have more at stake than I do in the future and, they will have to live with this broken-down economy and sickened earth much longer than I will.
When they look around at the state of the globe, they can judge for themselves if they want to trust Hillary with the planet.
They can determine if Hillary’s buddies on Wall Street are going to expect her to give them something back for their "donations".
They can compare Bernie’s and Hillary’s records and determine which one best suits “feminist” issues.
Each of us have to make the choice individually, with our own hearts and our own minds. I taught my sons and daughter to think for themselves. They are welcome to come to me when they feel the need to discuss something or want a little advice; but in the end, they have to live with their choices so they make their own decisions. My successes and failures belong to me, and theirs belong to them.
I don’t get it when people my age are so critical of young people. We raised them! If there is criticism to be had, it should be on us! In fact, despite the progress that we have made throughout the boomer years, we are leaving them with a very precarious world because we gave our power over to the special interests and those who exploit our efforts. We did not demand more from our representatives. Maybe it is our own failure that indeed causes the frustration that is mistakenly directed at our country’s youth.
But it’s a new day — and a political revolution is happening. I am glad to be a part of it now and feel like I am serving my country once more by participating.
Because I have watched both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton for so long, the decision is easy for me in regards to my vote. Bernie has stuck up for the issues that I care about for as long as I can remember — progressive ideas. Hillary (together with Bill) triangulates on issues until they are no longer recognizable as Democratic ideas at all — but appear to me as Republican-lite.
I’m begging our youth to not just pay attention but to keep teaching us new lessons with vibrant energy and passion — they’re going to live with the consequences of all of our actions for a long, long time.
[Update] hat tip to SaraBeth for this video
And a reminder to everyone to please register and vote! Every voice matters in this election.