A quick story to talk about dreams and voting. And…to see how this is published on DK4 vs. DK5.
My daughter is getting ready to start her freshman year of college. My son will be graduating a semester early in December. And I am having a hard time with both of these things.
Her schedule is already messed up. Her previous College in High School grades and AP scores are still being judged to decide if she can avoid having to take intro classes. She is stressed. She will not know anyone there. She wants to be an Art Therapist. She will have to get a Master's Degree, and she is worried with so many cuts to so many programs if her dream will simply become a pipe dream. She is going to a small university by choice. She checked out the big places and felt lost. I think she's afraid she'll be lost even at the small school.
His schedule is 2 classes and writing for the BIG UNIVERSITY NEWSPAPER. He has been chosen by the newspaper to be one of 4 students to cover the BIG UNIVERSITY BIG MONEY FOOTBALL TEAM. It's just as well that he won't have any more than 2 classes, as writing articles for the BIG UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL TEAM will take a lot of time. He will graduate a semester early with 2 degrees--Public Relations and Economics. He isn't worried about cuts to programs, as he will probably work for some big company. He is currently working an internship for a natural gas company that benefits heavily from fracking. His dream has always been to work for someplace like ESPN. And that is where he fears his dream will become a pipe dream, as he doesn't know if he should go for the safe job and pay off all his debt. Or...should he hold out for his dream and hope for a career in sports.
Both young people are dreaming big, but afraid they will not be able to follow their dreams. They are very different dreams, but dreams that they've had for a very long time. Each is concerned, due to the economics of lack of funding for higher education and lack of funding for mental health programs that their dreams may not be realized.
Our votes matter. Not just for old fogies, such as me; but for young people with dreams. I live in Pennsylvania. At that point, I'm guessing Hillary will pretty well have it wrapped up; but I will still vote for Bernie. After that, I'll vote for Hillary in the general election. I can't afford to have a Republican president that could care less about young people and their dreams. I will vote for a Democrat, as we are the Party of Dreams and Hope. I realize that I may not get my pie in the sky unicorn, but I can dream, as well!
And who knows? Maybe my Bernie dream will come true, as well!