Girl Zone's mock Presidential election has come to an end; your votes have been tallied, and here are the results: If the 2004 election were decided by Girl Zone survey respondents, John Kerry would be the projected winner with 44% of the vote. Given the number of responses GZ received for this political survey, it is clear that young women, such as yourselves, are interested in the future direction of this country. So why is it that twenty-two million 18-24 year olds, did not vote in the 2000 presidential election?
It was only eighty-four years ago when the 19th Amendment to the Constitution
was passed, allowing all women to vote. 
The
Suffrage movement, as it was known, started in 1848 and took more than
seventy years to accomplish its goal. Suffragists opposed the 15th Amendment
because it only defined citizens as male. Women like Alice
Paul, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and many more, fought
to make women official citizens of America, citizens with the freedom
and responsibility to vote. Suffragists struggled long and hard to make
women citizens with voting power, something we as current members of
society might forget. Given women's history and the current political
climate, it is important for girls and women to stay interested in government,
and of course utilize the vote. If we, as voters, do not contribute
in making informed decisions about the direction of our society, someone
else will make these decisions for us.
Now that we know why it is important to take interest in government, it is essential to know where to get your information and how to interpret it. 51% of girls who took GZ's political survey reported that television is their main source for news. This is not a surprise considering that the average American child watches 3-4 hours of television a day. The next highest rated source for news was the internet, which again, is not a surprise considering almost 70% of kids in the U.S. have a computer in the home.
However, there was close tie when it came to the question of the reliability and accuracy of the main news source. 40% of GZ girls thought that their main source of news was at least somewhat reliable and accurate regarding overall news coverage. On the same note, 38% of girls said that their main source of news was very reliable and accurate. This shows that GZ readers are less skeptical and more trusting of their news sources. This can be a good and bad. Trust in news media is good because it shows trust in people, in the skill of journalists and news anchors, and in the democracy. It is bad because media can be influenced by inside sources (like CEO's), outside sources (like advertisers), and is seldom neutral or unbiased when it comes political and moral issues.
27% of GZ respondents
said that the news topic that they most prefer is sports and entertainment
(politics came in fourth), but media can even be biased when it is used
for entertainment purposes. Think about the commercials that air during
your favorite TV show. These commercials are what pay for your favorite
show to be on the air. This means that the commercial, or advertiser,
has a direct stake in the storyline direction and ratings success of
your favorite TV show. And of course, the advertiser benefits in airing
their commercial during your favorite TV show because of the chance
that you might remember, and perhaps buy, their product. Most media
is pro-business (i.e. for profit), so it is very difficult to maintain
neutrality when it comes to entertainment and news. For more tips on
how to examine the media, click
here.
Regardless of what type of media you use, you have to be a critical thinker when it comes to taking news as fact or opinion. You also have to think about the cultural messages being sent to you by way of entertainment TV, or your favorite program, website, music, or videogame. Be on the lookout for hidden agendas and subtle or mixed messages. Sometimes news stories are intended to confuse or scare you - these are common tactics to make you think a certain way. It is okay to have different or similar views as the media, or your parents, or the candidates running for president, for example. The thing to remember is that no one can tell you what your opinions are, or if they are right or wrong, because opinions cannot be proved either way. It is not bad to have an opinion, just be sure that you are well informed on both sides of an issue.
The majority of GZ readers, 32% of those polled, consider themselves to have moderate political views, although 31% are undecided about their political views. 37% of GZ girls that voted said that their political views are somewhat similar to their parents. This is to be expected, our parents raise us, they provide us with our moral and ethical backbone from which we can form the basis of our political views.
Again, what is important to note is that differing political views are perfectly acceptable and likely to surface in your relationship with your parents. As long as you both respect each other's opinions, political debates and discussions with your family provides a safe space for you to voice your concerns; you may also learn something from each other.
According to 40% of GirlZone political survey respondents, the current
political issue that most affects them is education. GZ respondents
further said that the top three most important issues revolving around
the upcoming presidential election are education/War on Terror (there
was a tie for number one), the economy and jobs, and the issue of gay
marriage. It is plain to see that GZ respondents are highly invested
in the future of education, but where do the candidates place themselves
on this issue? President G.W. Bush enacted the No Child Left Behind
Act in early 2002, placing higher standards for kids performance in
schools. John Kerry supported and voted for the No
Child Left Behind Act, but proposes reforming the Act and supplying
more funding. Further specifics of Kerry's plan for education can be
found on his official website, or click
here. War and peace will always be a central issue in a campaign,
but more so if an election takes place during wartime. 
Both President
Bush and Senator Kerry believe that the War on Terror is necessary and
essential for the security of America. The difference between the two
lies in the way in which each candidate would go about commanding this
war. War is a tough issue not only for Americans, but for all citizens
of the world. To read Bush's stance on the war and security for America
on his official website, click
here. To read Kerry's position, click
here. It is important that you research topics like these from reliable
sources, the links provided are websites approved by each candidate,
but are only the first step in the research process.
Political and governmental topics, such as which candidate to chose in an election, are ones in which you need to think and research for yourself. This is because if you leave the research up to someone else, you run the risk of basing your opinions on false or skewed information. Research both sides, gain as much information as you can, think critically about what is fact and what is opinion, and you will be able to form your own intelligent beliefs. It can be fun and interesting, you can learn a lot about yourself and the processes of the world around you. Even if you can't vote now, you will be able to in the future, you are guaranteed this right as a citizen. Get interested, and stay interested in government and politics, your generation consists of the future leaders of America. Even you may be the future Ms. Senator or Ms. President of the United States of America!
Have you been watching the presidential debates? Do you think that the candidates have done a good job appealing to women and young voters? Are you excited for the outcome on November 2nd?
Want to start (or continue) learning? Here are some helpful links about politics and government:
The Democracy
Project
Congress for
Kids
The White
House Project
The League of Women Voters
MTV Choose
or Lose
Ms. Magazine
National Organization for
Women