Hillary Clinton’s Philly speech shows young people do care about politics

There’s almost nothing more annoying than going online to see yet another millennial slander piece.

We’re apparently all disloyal, snobby, lazy and just plain stupid – among other deplorable character traits. What else can we do wrong? This week, there was an article on The Daily Beast that put the blame on Donald Trump possibly winning this election squarely on young voters. A voting block that doesn’t vote much, but is catapulting third party candidates like Gary Johnson and Jill Stein to the fore because they dislike or distrust Hillary Clinton.

Instead of throwing blame around, Hillary – in a Mic op-ed today – seemed to understand what we’re up against.

“We hear a lot of things about the millennial generation. But too often, the people who are busy trying to define you are the ones who have spent the least time listening to you,” she wrote.

Clinton echoed her op-ed today at Temple University by outlining what she saw as strengths we have, but more importantly the issues we view as important. Concerns about skyrocketing tuition costs, high student loan interest rates, a sluggish workforce, climate change and bigotry were just some of the issues she touched upon. She promised to be the champion of young people when it comes to combating these problems.

Secretary Clinton related her experiences as a college student to what our current generation is dealing with. Tumultuous times during the Vietnam War and the assassinations of leaders who stood for progress like MLK and Bobby Kennedy were major events as she grew up. Pessimism was omnipresent, and she acknowledges that many of us have turned to cynicism similarly today.

In her op-ed she clearly understood where this pessimism has come from:

“Today, many of you have told me you feel the same way. We’ve seen the rise of a presidential candidate who pits Americans against each other and traffics in prejudice and paranoia.

“I’ve heard how uneasy this race has made many of you feel — how chilling it is to see protesters beaten at political rallies while the candidate eggs them on.”

Her appeal to the youngest voters that will go to the polls is genuine. It’s easier to be cynical than supportive, and we don’t enjoy being clichés. We don’t get excited by a Pokémon-Go line that doesn’t seem authentic, and pandering is anything but hip. That authenticity we value is something Hillary hasn’t been able to convey throughout this tough election. And in a crucial battleground state where she’s been outspending Donald Trump, she’s showing she understands that.

Clinton harkened back to her time as a disaffected, rebellious young person, and likely knows what she’s up against with modern youth: the glue that bonded her 1960s generation together was general distrust for the older citizens in power. Unlike Bernie Sanders who has been able to bill himself as a millennial man-on-the-inside or Obama who seems almost too cool to be true, Clinton is too easily grouped into the unlikable category, “People Like My Parents.”

Speaking to students she made it clear she understood this distrust of her. Addressing the audience, she said: “Even if you’re totally against Donald Trump, you still may have some questions about me.”

But what swayed us was how she’s inspired by the young people she’s met and fought for her entire life. Her optimistic view of America’s future is based on the young people she’s met and celebrated. Clinton said: “America’s best days are ahead of us,” attributing her optimism to the “inspiring young people” she meets every day.

Clinton touched upon a lesson that many college students find themselves learning: simply caring – or more likely for a young person, posting – about issues is not enough to make the change in the world we want to see. She has faced many of the same issues we face today: the choice between the sell-out career path or the niche passion; being brave enough to listen to, or share truths, with uncomfortable effects; or wondering how to balance the seemingly incompatible worlds of family and ambition. Clinton became an advocate over time by pursuing public works, having her views progress and not being afraid to care deeply— she just started a while before young people coming into their own find themselves beginning.

Watch her tell the crowd:

“So if you believe diversity is America’s strength, not America’s burden, join us. If you believe the minimum wage should be a living wage and no one working full-time should have to raise their children in poverty, join us. If you believe that climate change is real and that we can save our planet while creating millions of good-paying clean energy jobs, join us. If you believe that every man, woman, and child in America has the right to affordable, quality health care, join us. If you believe we should finally guarantee equal pay for women, join us.”

There was no pessimism from Secretary Clinton, although the social and economic challenges many young people face are greater than they should be. Instead of dividing us by immigrant or citizen, or speaking down to us as if incompetent, she is excited to work with us because of us.

There was hope and a reminder that she didn’t come to Temple University to create divisions, and she was deservedly met by an energized crowd of students.

Closing her speech, she expressed what this election means: “There’s no doubt in my mind that young people have more at stake in this election than any other age group. And when you turn out and vote this fall, we will be sending a message much larger than even the outcome.”

Hillary made a call to action for millennials (and all Americans) to vote in the belief that we are all “Stronger Together.”