The Best Place to Start
Did anyone else catch the Choose or Lose special last nite of Drew Barrymore's documentary, The Best Place to Start?
Drew, who may not be the smartest girl, wants to get involved in politics and sees the easiest way to do learn about politics is to figure out why kids and young people don't vote. She goes on her own tour to speak to kids, commentators, politicians, etc to find the answer. Basically, the only thing that she learns is that kids don't vote so politicians don't target them during the campaigns, therefore kids aren't interested and they don't vote. It's the chicken and the egg syndrome. This really upset Drew and she even cried. By the end of the documentary, she had me crying, she started to focus on groups that care so much about voting and what each person can do to get people excited about voting. I didn't think that she was going anywhere in her search for the answer, but I soon realized that I was one of those people who didn't vote in the last election because I didn't think that it mattered. It's not so much that your vote counts, but your voice that counts for something. It took a long time for women and minorities to get voting rights and here I am sitting around not doing anything about it. What has happened in this country? It's the mentality that "my vote doesn't count" that works against the system. True, I may not change the world or the government, but if I do nothing I can't complain. You don't have to know a lot about politics to be apart of it you just have to try.
The documentary ended with clips of Drew back in NYC filling out her absentee ballot in the primaries. She was really excited to be a part of the voting process and it was really touching. I know that sounds so trite, but I was moved by her little action to take a stand and become part of the process. I applaud Drew for using her popularity to get people excited about voting. Who cares if the MTV generation ends up voting cuz they were moved by that documentary or just cuz they think that Drew is cool. It doesn't matter, she took use of her celebrity to get her message across to the kids. I think it's totally awesome.
PS. I think that the song that plays during the last scene of the movie was a new Strokes song and it was great.
posted by this is me @ 9/22/2004 11:00:00 AM
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Another comment on "My vote doesn't count.": Another response is, "If your vote doesn't count, whose does?" Ihen again, if everyone decided, their vote doesn't count, maybe I would finally be able to vote myself for president.
no cable at home, but it was on while i was at the gym last night. i really liked how positive it was, overall, with the way she shower russell simmons and fat mike and others really making the difference and the kids paying attention.
As a DC resident, your vote basically doesn't count (at least you get to whine about it on your license plate).
It's kind of a source of embaressment to my family that my sister isn't registered to vote. My mother is a government teacher, and my step aunt works for in the Senate and had a Presidentially appointed job the last time a Dem was in office.
My sister doesn't even seem to care about the election or voting in general. I guess that isn't as important as the newest Coach bags, or the new line at Express this fall. What a weirdo.
Here's the thing: do we really want somebody so out of it that they don't realize the importance of voting to determine the next 4 years of our country?
or maybe she does a lot of coke with the strokes.
All the kids love to snort the Strokaine. Designer drugs are back. From the makers of The Crystal Method Crystal Meth.
I only want the out of touch people to get in touch, because I think if they did, they're realize that a stronger economy means they can shop till they drop. This is gonna be a close one. If you sister lived in Ohio, Florida or Pennsylvania I'd tell you to thump her. Go ahead and thump her anyway. Put her in a brotherly headlock until she promises not to be a brand whore. That is truly tough love.
Also I just gave 15 bucks, which I cann't afford to the DNC. I want a return on my investment.
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