The Community Is as Good As the People Who Participate - Sunday Commentary

The Community Is as Good As the People Who Participate

Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 - 12:04 AM

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By JENNIFER MCCLELLAN

TIMES-DISPATCH GUEST COLUMNIST

Whenever I speak to students about the General Assembly, among the first questions asked are: "How did you get involved in politics?" "Did you always know you wanted to do this?" "Why did you decide to run?"

The answer lies with my parents. My father was born in 1925, just before the Depression, to a middle-class family in segregated Nashville, Tenn. After his mother died, he attended a school founded by his grandfather in rural Alabama for African-American children who were not provided a quality education by the state. My mother was born in 1932 to a family caught in the grips of the Great Depression in the Gulf Coast of Mississippi.

Both of my parents saw firsthand how the government can play a role in helping to lift up those the market has failed. They saw how the New Deal of Franklin Roosevelt gave hope to those who lost everything due to forces beyond their control. They participated in the civil rights movement -- the greatest example of the power of civic engagement and grassroots organization-- and mourned its losses while celebrating its victories. They watched John F. Kennedy and his New Frontier inspire a generation of Americans to get involved in politics, join the Peace Corps, and challenge America to put a man on the moon, leading to a resurgence in science and innovation.

It was inevitable that I would be interested in public service and government. I remember growing up listening to their stories, watching the evening news as a family, and discussing current events and politics. A curiosity and love of history that made me devour everything I could about the times they lived in led me to two significant conclusions:

(1) Government is one of the most powerful forces for change in the world; and

(2) Politics can be fun.

So, I joined the Young Democrats at the University of Richmond. And through a combination of hard work, passion, and being at the right place at the right time, I was able to take advantage of internships at every level of government, and work on a variety of campaigns from Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential bid to my own re-election last year.

But it wasn't until I got elected that I fully understood something I suspected all along. To make the Great American Experiment of government by, for, and of the people work, the people must participate. And it is critical that young people do so.

Just look at our history. Young people under 40 who have been responsible for some of the most dramatic changes in American history:

Thomas Jefferson was 33 when he wrote the Declaration of Independence, declaring not only America's liberty, but the unalienable rights of a free people and their relationship to government.

The Father of the Constitution, James Madison, was 36 when he drafted the Virginia Plan that became the basis of our government today. At 38, he drafted the Bill of Rights.

At 32, Alexander Hamilton helped Madison ensure the ratification of the Constitution through the Federalist Papers, and at 34 became the first secretary of the Treasury.

Nearly 200 years later, another young man helped ensure the freedom envisioned by these men extended to all Americans. Martin Luther King was merely 26 when he organized the Montgomery bus boycott and 34 when he wrote the "Letter From Birmingham Jail" and gave the "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington.

But what about today? Government, and especially the General Assembly, makes public policy decisions to address those challenges in all aspects of life for generations to come. From the ability of a mother to get prenatal care, to the quality of education a child receives in Virginia, to the affordability of higher education, our budget decisions impact the young. The laws we pass touch everything from textbooks to cell phones and taxes.

As a citizen legislature, we 140 members of the General Assembly bring our individual experiences, backgrounds, and philosophies to bear on every vote. As the youngest woman and minority in the General Assembly, I know I bring a unique perspective to the table. At 35, I am a voice for Generation X. But my perspective is still limited. Today's youth, particularly those under 30, face challenges that Generation X could never even imagine. And their voices need to be heard in the halls of the Capitol, in City Hall, in our community organizations, and, most important, at the polls.

Ours remains, after all, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. It is only as good as the people who chose to participate. I encourage everyone, but especially those under 35, to participate.
Jennifer McClellan is a Democrat who represents Virginia's 71st House of Delegates District, which includes parts of Henrico and Richmond. She may be contacted at deljmcclellan@house.state.va.us or (804) 698-1171.