The Political Divide
Democrats aim to educate, inspire
by Clayton Woullard
The Metropolitan
(Danny Holland / The Metropolitan)
Auraria Young Democrats co-president Nathan Pittman looks on as a student
talks at the groupís first meeting of the semester on Sept. 1 outside
the Tivoli. Guests discussed what they would like to see the Young Democrats
do in the future and what issues matter most to them as young people.
Two new Democratic student groups have sprung from between the cracks
in the proverbial political sidewalk of the Auraria campus this year with
the aim of registering and educating college students.
While the Auraria Young Democrats and the Democrats of Auraria may share
basically the same name and political beliefs, their goals are a bit different.
Angie Knepell, co-president of Auraria Young Democrats and a Metro student,
said for the short term, her group is looking to inform and register young
voters and, hopefully, rally them to vote for Democratic presidential
candidate John Kerry Nov. 2.
“Long term is to take the motivation we’ve seen on campus
so far and keep it going past the election cycles and keep them (young
people) informed on issues that affect their friends and their loved ones,”
Knepell said. “We want to encourage active participation in our
country’s policies and politics.”
She said young people should vote for Sen. Kerry because President Bush
frankly does not represent the young people of the U.S.
“I think that Bush absolutely has been working against the majority
of young people,” she said. “Bush does not represent that
generation; he represents a generation that’s much more stayed.
I think that this generation is much more tolerant.”
She said it’s important to provide information about Kerry to college
students because much of what is said about him in the media and by the
Republicans is not accurate.
“What we want to do is give them the info so they don’t just
have a one-sided view of what’s going on in the country and who
Kerry is,” she said.
Nathan Pittman, co-president of the Auraria Young Democrats and a Metro
student, said while the group’s name implies that it’s only
for people of a certain age group, it’s really for any college student.
“I think anybody on a college campus should feel young,”
Pittman said. “Even if you’re 87 years old, if you’re
learning, you’re young.”
Yvonne Radcliffe, president of the Democrats of Auraria and a Metro student,
said while her group will obviously be supporting Kerry and the other
Democratic candidates, their main focus will be to get college students
interested and involved in the political process, especially when it comes
to legislation affecting their lives.
“I think that a lot of students don’t understand the political
process,” Radcliffe said, “and in order to get students out
there to vote, we need to inform them and educate them on the different
choices they have when they go to the booth to vote.”
She also hopes to inform students about both the Democratic and Republican
candidates so they can decide for themselves.
“I also think it’s important for our group to inform students
not only about the Democratic candidates but about the Republican candidates
as well so students know what policies these candidates represent,”
she said.
Alan Franklin, a Metro junior, attended the first Young Democrats of
Auraria meeting last Wednesday outside the Tivoli and said while he doesn’t
necessarily like Kerry, he feels he’s the better alternative.
“People understand that Kerry is an equivocal candidate,”
Franklin said. “He is the only viable alternative to the worst presidency
of the U.S.”
He said he wishes the Democratic groups on campus had come out sooner
because they would’ve been able to provide a voice of dissent, specifically
to the Auraria College Republicans.
“The Democrats not being here has caused a lot of damage,”
he said. “They would’ve been able to (offer) another voice.”
Knepell said she is glad the College Republicans have a presence on campus
because it creates a balance.
“I think it’s healthy to have a balanced perspective on campus,”
Knepell said. “I think that anyone who is working through a political
party…should have a presence on campus.”
Radcliffe said she agrees.
“I hope that when the majority of the elections are over we can
work together,” she said of the College Republicans. “I hope
prior to the elections we can schedule some type of debate.”
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