Understanding Generation Z (born 1995 and 2015) in Politics

Posted on by Arundhati Oommen

Generation Z currently comprises 10% of the American electorate and 4% of likely voters. Gen Z has grown up post-9/11 and has aged through the Trump Administration. This year, the stakes are even higher: with 2020 marked as a year of reckoning with racial unrest, rioting, and a global health crisis.

Generation Z has been widely hallowed as the most liberal generation of all time, but, in reality, much of Gen Z is opposed to the long-held “binary” choices given to the American electorate: that of the Democrat and Republican parties.

Gen Z is currently twice as likely to vote Biden – rather, its clear that they are voting against Trump, and not for Biden. Gen Z is looking for a candidate that encompasses a global perspective and shows foresight and quick actions into key issues that have been mounting for decades: climate change and racial inequality – neither of which is highlighted in the current presidential candidates. For these reasons, Gen Z is more hesitant to identify as part of the Democratic Party and some choose to vote independent which could be the sign of a rising tide towards the end of the two-party system. (Politico 2020 poll takeaways )

Crucially, younger voters historically have a habit of not showing up to the polls. But with the rising amount of youth-led activism with voter registration, may suggest that turnout may be higher this November. With nationwide protests and national reckoning sparked by the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, young people can’t afford not to vote (Pew research center).

In terms of priority, the top issue for the majority of Gen Z voters is synchronous with older voters: 30 percent say is the most important and 20 percent say it’s healthcare. In regards to the economy, the majority said the country should move away from the current capitalist standard towards a more socialized economy (Politico 2020 poll takeaways).

While presently much of Gen Z is ineligible to vote this year, waves are starting to form and as more young people come of age and turn to the polls, there will be wide rippling changes for American politics as we know it.

 

The Morality Behind Rioting

Posted on by Arundhati Oommen

On May 30th, Salt Lake City faced one of the first violent protests seen in the history of the city. An empty police car was flipped and incinerated, the windows of the local 7-11 shattered, completed with a mob-style beat down on a man wielding a crossbow with intent to harm.

The aftermath of the protest garnered more outcry against the violence of the riots than support for the larger Black Lives Matter movement.

Rioting draws the attention of the media, and consequently serves as a focal point for those who speak louder about “unnecessary violent actions” but not when the same unnecessary violence is executed by the police. In America, violent protests means shattered glass, but violent police means death. One is a sentence, the other is not.

Before the incineration of the police vehicle, an officer had shoved an elderly man to the ground, in almost every case of violence in the Salt Lake City protest, acts of violence were preceded by violent police actions.

The intent behind rioting is unity in doing so; it is not like black Friday, where patrons fight over who will receive the next i-pad mini, rioting is united. Seemingly meaningless destruction may not help to propel the Black Lives Matter movement – but jarring images symbolic of Black pain will.

One such example is the bloodied palms of the Serve and Protect sculpture at Salt Lake City’s Public Safety building (see above). The image has garnered national acclaim and serves as a symbol of the greater movement ahead. Vandalism is a crime, but without the crime, we would not have been able to see the symbolism in what lies ahead.  

Many have come to question whether or not violence is warranted within protests, it comes down to effectiveness. Rioting has always been a valid form of protest. Since the dawn of American time, democracy has always been defended through violence. There is precedent, and thus far, protests seem to be garnering renewed support and changes are slowly being made with new laws against no-knock warrants and charges against the police officers.

White entitlement to the bodies of People of Color has gone on long enough. It is only in the last few decades that People of Color have had autonomy over their own bodies. Consider Colin Kaepernick – one of the most visual instances of a trigger to white fragility. A Black man, silently, and respectfully, going down on one knee, and the immediate uproar of anger and criminalization he faced.

It is not your place, nor mine, to speak as to how the oppressed should respond to their oppressors. The Black community is exhausted, rightfully so. They have protested peacefully, silently, politically, and are still being met with the same outrage as they have from the beginning.  Four hundred years of Black pain and anger, and they are still being killed like dogs in the streets.

If history is any indication, it takes a true spark, or in this case, it may take a bonfire, to truly ignite change. The least we can give is our solidarity in doing so.

 

The Effects of Protests in the Modern Era

Posted on by Claudia Morales

For centuries around the globe individuals have become united in vocalizing the need for a change from the government. These individuals proceed in this manner throughout history with the hope that the protests will change their government, law, society, or culture.

Protests in the Modern Era

The First Amendment grants Americans the right to assemble and petition the government for a redress of issues. From the Boston Tea Party in the 1700s to the protests against the involvement of the U.S. in the Iraq War in 2003, protests play a critical role in the eyes of citizens as a means to increase awareness of an issue and conduct change. In 2012 George Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin while he was on the clock as a neighborhood watch volunteer.  As Martin walked out of a 7/11 store Zimmerman followed him due to his suspicious behaviors. Although the rest remains unclear as to what actually happened that night, Zimmerman claims to have shot Martin in self-defense and was acquitted of all charges. This particular case, along with many others that involved the fatal shooting of unarmed black men, ushered a movement called Black Lives Matter.

Furthermore, when President Trump entered office millions gathered to march for female empowerment in the Women’s March. This “Was said to be the largest single day demonstration in the history of the U.S,” according to The New Yorker. There were many reasons for the historical march which included concerns about abortion, health care, diversity, and climate change.

Another protest that grasps the country’s attention is the March for Life, annually held in Washington, D.C. usually in January, around the same time that the Supreme Court case of Roe v. Wade was held. Thousands gather to rally against the practice of abortion in support of the Pro-Life movement which claims that the fetus is alive and human life begins at conception. Supporters contend that the life of unborn children should be protected.Overall there are many reasons for the historical marches which included concerns about abortion, health care, diversity, and climate change.

Recently, since the pandemic severely struck the U.S. in 2020, social distancing was implemented. These restrictions sparked protests from individuals concerned with the economy and personal financial situations. On the other hand, nurses and other health care workers participated in silent protests against the anti-restrictions protesters to remind everyone the seriousness of the situation and the importance of practicing those restrictions.

The Effect of Protests on the Government

The ability for protesters to gather around due to a political, sociological or cultural problem shines light on their concerns and seriousness for that issue. There is a certain effectiveness in an organized protest. When  protests directly affect the government it can raise alarms for them and sometimes even cause damage, but despite the consequences it is still not enough sometimes. Take the case of what occurred in Hong Kong when protesters, demanding the elimination of a new bill that allows extradition to mainland China, disrupted one of the busiest airports in the world. The Hong Kong airport had to reschedule and cancel many flights. This caused a domino effect and led to further actions like protests at universities regarding the bill. Even though “The bill was finally withdrawn . . .  protesters said this was ‘too little, too late,’’ according to the BBC. They continue to protest for five specific demands and the clash between them and the police has only escalated.

The Effect of Protests on Citizens

The action of protesting can influence individuals across the nation and globe. When analyzing the collapse of the East bloc during the 80s and the revolutions that began in the 2000s to the Arab Springs protests, it can be inferred that they had an effect on one another. These countries had a “Contagion effect” which led to citizens imitating the actions of other protesters, according to The World. Several economists from Harvard University and Stockholm University evaluated and concluded that protesters do have a salient influence on politics. They found that the answer lies within the effect that the protests have on the protesters themselves. Protesters become politically activated and motivated to bring about change, according to Quartz. This can be attributed to how there can be an effect on voting, political contributions, ideology, and participation in the movement.