YA For Obama
Posted on September 22, 2008 Posted by John Scalzi 15 Comments
My pal and fellow author Maureen Johnson has started YA for Obama, which features YA authors talking about why politics matters to them, and encouraging their target audience to get involved and active, even if they are not quite old enough to vote. With a title like “YA for Obama” it’s pretty clear what side of the fence the contributors are coming down on. The first post (aside from Maureen’s intro) is from Judy Blume. Which is a nice way to start things off. If you or the YAish folks you know are inclined toward the Democratic side of things, do check it out.
Completely unrelated question, but does your pal and fellow author go by the nickname Mo Jo?
Really no reason for asking, other than the fact that I think that’s a pretty sweet moniker.
She does now, Adam. I’ll see to it.
I found out about YA For Obama last night on the Bark Obama website (no, really) and considered emailing you in case you didn’t know about it. Then I thought, nah. He’ll know soon, if he doesn’t already, even if bacon is never mentioned. Thanks for proving me right!
Have fun at Viable Paradise. May it be a rewarding experience for all.
Nice and tidy website. Already forwarded to my nephew the HS English teacher. Thanks
I wonder how many YA authors are McCain cheerleaders. Does Orson Scott Card count?
I remember Judy Blume! The local library when I was a kid had everything she wrote. I read it all. :)
Now I want to start a website called:
“Poo For McCain” [Poopy Old Oldsters for McCain]
“Prunes for McCain”
John,
This theme of democrats continuing to build their base among groups who can’t actually vote would be amusing if they weren’t also on record this year that if they lose, they are planning to blame it on racism and sponsor riots in all of the major urban areas.
Drew,
Yes, it’s really horrible when people try to help the youth of our country familiar with the democratic process before they might actually vote for the first time.
John,
That wasn’t my point, but I can see why you took it that way. Personally I think kids should be introduced to the political process by their parents, but then I also think that Parents, not educators and entertainers, should still be in charge of sex education.
On the exceedingly small chance that you actually care, allow me to clarify my last post.
In my opinion, there is a bigger than average gap between the two candidates this year. On the one hand Obama is a very far left, very inexperienced, yet charismatic standard bearer. He could be good, but there is no way to know in advance. On the other side McCain is a center right, aging politician, with a compelling biography and enough political scars to be a known quantity. There are 100’s of reason’s other than race to choose one or the other. In fact I would argue that, outside of the black community, race is probably not even in most people’s top 10.
I live in Milwaukee. We have a history with race riots. I am good friends with a number of black pastors from a wide range of backgrounds and denominations. They are 100% convinced that if Obama does not win that it will be because of racism and that actual riots will ensue.
The democratic party is aware of this and that it is not unique to Milwaukee. They also know that there is a realistic chance that Obama might lose on the issues. They should be working to defuse this situation before it explodes. Instead they are feeding the beast and playing up the anger because they think it will help them win. There are plenty of recent quotes from prominent democratic spokespeople and I can provide links if you really need them.
What does this have to do with your post?
The continuing emphasis on groups for Obama who can’t vote ( europeans, foreign leaders, young adults…) adds to the perception of his popularity while ignoring his viability. IF, and it’s a huge if, Obama loses, this will be raw fuel to feed the rage of his disapointed supporters. It will not be good.
Your YA post caught me in particular because that is potentially a group of impressionable youngsters whose introduction to politics will be one of anger and injustice if their “side” loses. That’s not healthy for the republic.
To put it another way, taking your daughter to her first NFL game is a good thing. Buying tickets for that game in the “dog pound” could be clinically significant.
God help us. I’m a conservative, but I am almost at the point where I am afraid not to vote for Obama. Yes, I do value my friendships more than my politics, but I despise the party that is trying to gain from this false choice. I sit on the local police commission in my little village and this years budget included money for riot gear. sigh.
The irony of all this? If the election really does turn on racism, then it will turn on racist democrats. Thanks guys.
Doug @ 11
You advocate parents teaching their kids how to vote. That’s not necessarily a bad thing; however, you have instances like this where I start to have problems with it.
Parents are not perfect simply because they are parents. The views, opinions, and beliefs that some parents give their children are, at best, uninformed and wrong, hateful and harmful at worst. By leaving *all* of the education of politics in the hands of just one group, whether that’s parents, a particular school, whatever, you’re advocating limiting the opportunities children have to learn multiple sides of an argument and to form an opinion themselves based off of exposure to those multiples sides.
If you believe that most parents are going to try to give their children a fair and balanced view of something like politics, then I think you have a fairly unrealistic view of the world at large.
And on the racism note, putting all of the racism on Democrats is wrong; I’m sure there are quite a number of Republicans on the right who are voting, at least in part, because of their views on Obama’s skin tone.
As it happens, I was looking at something Ms. Blume wrote in preparation for Banned Books Week (which is next week):
It’s not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers.
Somehow it seems to fit the topic.
“Meds for McCain Voters”
Holy moly! I did my senior thesis on adolescent literature, largely focusing on Judy Blume (which was really a hoot sitting in the library all senior year reading Hinton, Zindel, et al., while everyone else was reading musty old stuff). It’s invigorating that she’s still looking to empower our youth.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention….