Oh my lord, listen to this...

[Stuckinthebush]

I was talking to my 7 year old about the election. She said that her class will be voting for president, and she has decided to vote for Bush. It killed me, but I calmly told her that it was her decision to make and she could vote for whom she wanted. I did ask her to explain her reasons to me. She said that everyone said Bush was going to win so she was going to vote for him because he would win.

When I explained to her that indeed, Kerry was looking like the eventual winner, and that anyway, voting for a person should be based on better reasons that that, she began to understand (I think). Then she told me that her grandmother (my wife's mother) was voting for Bush because she didn't like Kerry's wife.

Amazing! But I don't doubt it. My wife's mother is not what one would call a critical thinker. After I explained to my daughter that her mother (my wife) was more like Kerry's wife than Bush's, my daughter's eyes got very big. She said, "Well if that is true, grandma should like Kerry more."

Perhaps that explains the constant struggles my wife has with her mother!

Anyway, one of the biggest dangers in the youth vote is the "go along with the crowd" syndrome. I remember that is why I voted for Reagan in 1984 (please forgive me!). Only until I started critically analyzing the world was I more likely to vote Democratic. How do we encourage our children to think for themselves and not be pulled into group-think mentality which benefits Republicans?

[Walt Starr]

1. I heard a guy talking about his daughter voting for Bush in her class

on the train last night.

The reason given? Bush is easier to spell.

[Hog lover]

2. We have to treat our children like intelligent people,

and have serious discussions with them about life, current events and politics. I am sure I bored my daughter to death with our little talks sometimes, but now she is smart and can analyze issues. Naturally, she is voting for Kerry, even though her Hubby is voting for Shrub (don't ask me why).

[hedda_foil]

10. I did the same with my daughters.

I know at times they felt lectured to death, but both learned to think critically and analyze issues, and both are highly empathetic and liberal as hell. In fact, my younger daughter converted her husband from a weak Repub to a strong Dem ... and made sure it had stuck before she would even consider marrying him!

[Cerridwen]

17. made sure it had stuck before she would even consider marrying him!

I'm LingMAO.

No mixed marriage for her!

Wonderful story. Thank you. And kudos to your daughter!

:hi:

[Nay]

13. I'm sure I bored my son to death, too, when he was young, getting

him to think about things rather than just let emotions take him wherever. . .but boy, can that young man think now. No bullshit gets past him.

[snowbear]

3. You should direct her to....

the Nickolodean website. The THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of children who took part in that vote selected Kerry to be our next president by an enormous margin!

http://www.nick.com/

:bounce:

[cynatnite]

4. what you did is the first step

My two older daughters are very aware of what's going on and they are very anti-bush.

My five year old son is a little different, but he's five, too. LOL. The talk of the elections have filtered into his kindergarten class and the other day he came home and said bush would win. When I tried to get more information he couldn't answer very well.

The class sent home a maze of sorts. On one side was bush and the other was Kerry. He drew it from Kerry to the WH.

Their little minds soak up information of all kinds and it's up to us as parents to help them sort it out. Asking them questions about what they think is important and letting them come to their own conclusions gets them to think for themselves even if we don't like the answer they come up with.

You did great with your daughter and I hope as my son gets older he will think for himself and not let the 'crowd' determine what he's going to do as my daughters have.

[Stuckinthebush]

16. I think its important to encourage them to think

and not to believe something just because I or anyone else tells them to believe it. It is hard not to scream "Are you kidding me! You must vote for Kerry!" That would do more damage than good.

I think you are absolutely correct in saying that you need to give them as much information as possible (and age appropriate information) so they can have the tools to make informed decisions.

[nikatnyte]

5. At least your 7-year-old has an excuse for being ignorant

Unlike 47% of our voting population.

[Stuckinthebush]

7. Ain't that the truth!

:D

[Astrochimp]

6. Just found this cartoon when I read your post, so....

http://www.ucsbdailynexus.com/opinion/2003/4368.html

[cheshire]

14. That's not even a cartoon, is what is funny. The truth of it.

[BootinUp]

8. Wow, I have a similar story

My seven year old came home and told us the same thing. He said he was voting for Bush because Bush was giving away ice cream. :wtf:

I tried to find out who told him that just out of curiosity. But he wouldn't say or doesn't remember. Of course Bush is the favorite here in North GA. I think its just a popularity thing.

I am attempting to give him an idea of how important it is to make up his own mind and not vote for the more popular candidate. Someday, these talks will sink in. :)

Also, my daughter who is 15, has to listen to a history teacher pronounce how great republicans are and how Zell Miller is the only good democrat. This really pisses me off. I have told her I would come debate with her teacher, but she doesn't want to make waves. She has begun to discuss politics with friends. Her boyfriend and his parents are staunch Bush supporters.

[Gyre]

9. She's 7 for christ's sake, so she has time to recover.

But you should caution your mother-in-law about sharing her assinine political opinions with your daughter 'or else'. Brainwashing a budding 7 year old democrat-in-the-making should be punishable by death. However, here in California we could prosecute her for for a violation of Penal Code section 273a(b); Abusing or Endangering the Mental Health of a Child, only a misdemeanor. Just kidding; sort of. :)

Gyre

[LizW]

11. My fourth grader has been going along with his friends

who are all voting for Bush in the mock election. I've cautioned him about going along with the crowd and not thinking for himself, but I'm going to try not to get very bent about it. He'll come around when he's older.

My seventh grader, on the other hand, has been having a pretty hard time at school. He refuses to go along with the crowd, but, being 12, it's hard for him to be different from most of his friends. There was one bright point, though. The other day he told me that his favorite teacher had a game on her computer called "Brains for Bush" or something like that. Brains fall down from the top of the screen and you have to move a little animated Bush around and open his head up so the brains fall in. He was thrilled, and so was I. (Although I already had an inkling that this teacher was a Democrat, she's very cool.) :)

[flygal]

12. I voted Raygun in 1980...

Because it was "cool" to be with the rich people. :eyes:

[WCGreen]

15. This brings back memories.....

I remember back in 1964, we were all afraid of Goldwater, not because he was going to get us all blown up but because he was going to make us go to school six days a week.....

I think I must have been in second grade, I was just turning seven when the election came out so yea, I remember that...

I also remember my parents didn't talk politics that much around us.......

But I do know my mom and dad were real busted up over JFK and I do remember the Cuban Missle Crisis, the pres spoke on my fifth birthday, one of my earliest memories....,,, Everyone went form eating cake and singing happy birthday to murmering in the front room away from the kids.....

[dave123williams]

18. When people THINK, Democrats WIN.

[Deja Q]

19. All children rebel by, amusingly, doing the same things.

Seems to me it's always been like that, in general.

[Lorien]

20. I drove a woman to the polls today

she and her two children only spoke spanish. Her younger boy was six or seven. On the way there, he chanted to himself several times "Kerry, Kerry, Kerry, Kerry, Kerry, NO BOOSH!" His mother told me (in very broken English) that after she voted her son asked "who did you vote for , Kerry or Bush*"? She said "Kerry" and her son cheered and jumped up and down at the polling place. Too cute!

[The Wielding Truth]

21. I think Bush supporters have a preteen mental and emotional level that's

why facts and logic have little effect on them.
Any one IMO who supports these manipulators are really not mature enough to vote.
Too bad their isn't a test that would screen for 18 yr old mental and emotional maturity. It would chance the world.
This country deserves a man that can think and act and has us in mind when he does both. I so support OUR MAN KERRY!

[Stuckinthebush]

24. Interesting theory

I think you may be on to something!

[FlaGranny]

29. Yes, and this test should be given

to anyone running for president, don't ya think? :-)

[Cats Against Frist]

22. Actually, in a mock election in my 4th grade class

The same thing happened -- sort of. Everyone was voting for Reagan, because all the rich, "doctor's kids," were (I lived in a very small town), and I tried to get kids to vote for Mondale (& yes, with real reasons), but it didn't help. I was one of the few that voted for Mondale and caught hell for it.

I think this is not so unlike why a lot of people vote Republican.

[Solomon]

23. Young children will naturally favor an incumbent.

When they become conscious of what a president is, they are taught the glorious aspect of the job. Their frame of reference is always the current president. Would you vote for someone different at 7 years of age?

[Liberal Gramma]

25. I also know a Republican who voted for Bush

because he doesn't like THK, an otherwise intelligent man, but of the generation who is frightened by strong, independent women.

[in_cog_ni_to]

26. It's very hard for kids. Peer pressure sucks.

When my son was in 3rd Grade he was the only kid in his class to vote for Gore :hug: and I was so proud of him for standing up for what he believed (or mom and dad believed ;) )..no matter what. This year he's BRUTALIZED by other kids for being a Kerry supporter. He's standing firm! (he's 11) He just can't WAIT until Kerry is the president so he can rub it in. Sweet revenge.

[pk_du]

27. Every child in America needs to be shown this pic at school on Monday

http://inessential.com/?comments=1&postid=2949









/sarc off.

[ZombieNixon]

28. I remember I voted for Clinton in kindergarten

because he had a cat and I had just got a cat. Strange how these things work, eh?

[Warren DeMontague]

30. No offense, Dude, but you ARE in Alabama.

I would be highly surprised if your kid's first or second grade class wasn't overwhelmingly filled with the kids of Bush supporters.

If she was 17, not 7, I would take this as a cause for concern.

[Stuckinthebush]

31. Very valid point!

Although, it is in a more liberal section of Alabama. That, of course, means that the people here are moderate instead of being far right.

There is hope that Jefferson County, Alabama (Birmingham) will vote for Kerry. It could happen - although it won't matter much!

[Warren DeMontague]

33. Hey, good luck.

Anyway, it sounds like you're doing an excellent job of raising your daughter to be capable of thinking for herself. :)

[juliagoolia]

32. Just like you did!

And get rid of NCLB testing and put Music and ART back into schools!

[TheCentepedeShoes]

34. I voted for Nixon in 1960

mock election in 7th grade (Yikes, I'm THAT old!!) Reason was that having been VP for eight years he had more experience for the job. Back then, this mock election stuff was all just good clean fun - no ugliness. I really loved Kennedy, though, during his term. The day he died is still the saddest day in my life. Recall some good family friends (normal Dems) refused to vote for Kennedy because he was Catholic and from "back East." My mom thought that was outrageous. Irony will have it - now Mom won't support Kerry because HE is Catholic and from "back East."

[melody]

36. I have a worse confession

My right-wing fascist father was a big George Wallace supporter in the 60s. I actually (gasp) voted for George Wallace in our classroom.

I have, however, voted a straight Democratic ticket ever since then. :)

[progressivebydesign]

35. I'm sorry. But are we going to FILL UP GD2004 with thest stories ALL DAY??

There's dozens of them right now. This is stuff to tell your friends, it's not really worthy of entire threads. Nothing personal, but these anti-Kerry antedotes are getting old...

[Stuckinthebush]

38. Oh, I'm so sorry

I had no idea that you were so nervous about the election that you needed only positive Kerry stories all day.

:eyes:

Actually, it is a good story that highlights the brainwashing that begins at a young age. I think that discussing these issues will help us all to better teach children to think critically. If a child from a very liberal family can be swayed by group think, then it is something we must be aware of.

As for the friends comment, I feel that DUers are my friends. So I share stories with them. I will continue to share these stories and do my part to fill up this forum with such stories. I know that it may be important for some DUers to have 20 threads on the OBL tape, but I think a few other stories here and there are nice to discuss as well.

[banana republican]

37. The Nicolodean channel has Kerry winning

based on votes by children

[johnnie]

39. That is one of the important reasons for signs and stickers

The truth is, there are many people who just want to be on the winning team. If they see a lot of signs and stickers for one candidate, they will go with them thinking that their "team" will be the winners. We are a very competitive society and many people have it in their heads that they have to be on the winning team.

[Stuckinthebush]

40. I guess this is also why the GOP steals yard signs

They figure if people don't see the signs, then they may feel that everyone is voting for Bush and so they will do the same.

Sad, but probably has some truth to it.

[Michael_UK]

41. I was about 7 when I told my Dad I thought Thatcher was good

At the time, I remember him saying that I would be a conservative a how terrible that would be. I'm now a 24 year old social democrat. There's a reason we don't give 7 year olds the vote. Don't fret

[DemocracyInaction]

42. I'm not worried about the children--I'm worried about people like

your mother-in-law!! I've seen this in action all my life with my parents generation (they are now dead). They 'hated' a candidate's wife or they hated the candidate's religion---and every one of them would have died penniless in the street after working their whole lives, owning their own homes, etc. without things like social security and medicare. These idiots think that programs like this are just "there" and will never go away and have no idea how the republicans are targeting them. You can't help the stupid...you really can't.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

43. Nine year old granddaughter put her grandparents in their place!

Sweet Thang lives in South Carolina - hot bed of "Christian" values, repug views, etc. Her father is a staunch Bush fan (one issue dude - NAFTA, I know, I know), her mother is a liberal like me, father's family are those type of Christians that are in the church every time the lights are on but don't really live their religion all the other times. (They have NOT be nice to my kid - enough to go quash their narrow little minds right there). Anyway, I digress...

A couple of weeks ago, the night of the last debate, daughter and granddaughter were making the trek home to Kentucky - good eight hour drive for a long weekend visit. Driving during the night daughter turns on radio to listen to the debate. Granddaughter listen along. Not too much was said about the debate during the visit. Had a great time. Daughter and granddaughter go home.

Next visit to other grandparents the topic of the election came up and of course, Bush the god was mentioned. Daughter has learned not to even argue with these people, why waste good oxygen trying to open closed minds? Anyway, after listening to this, other grandmother asked Sweet Thang who she is voting for in the school election.

Like the good little liberal that she is (bless her little heart!), she dutifully answered Kerry. Immediately (according to the daughter reporting the event) both grandparents started in on the little darling (evidently they can't abide the thought of losing even a third grade election!) telling her how wrong she is. Tag teaming, guns ablazing. Here is the good part.

My sweet, headstrong, smart, savvy little darling, got right back in their face and said, "Oh, no, you aren't pulling that on me! I listened to the debate. Kerry has to win." My tears welled up when daughter told me that story. Did I mention she is very smart?

[Stuckinthebush]

44. My mother-in-laws parents

have both been beneficiaries of Medicaid/Medicare. They would have been dead many years ago had it not been for this program that the GOP would surely like to see gutted.

But, she doesn't care. She just can't stand THK and that is all that matters!