Young people are not going to vote in the midterm elections…or so we’ve been told. The narrative is set in stone and contemplating the alternative is little more than a futile exercise. I’d say it’s just about as futile as imagining in 2007 that Barack Obama could ever be Vice President, let alone President… You’ll remember back then that politically active young people were often dismissed as little more then celebrity-worshiping groupies, members of a cult of personality. If you think that kind of rhetoric has died down in the two years since, <a href=”http://www.campusprogress.org/news/5874/right-wingers-call-in-to-c-span-show-on-youth-issues-claim-socialism-doesn-t-work” target=’_hplink’>look no further than this interview I did on C-SPAN</a> where I was accused of being brainwashed, indoctrinated, socialist-you name it. Despite the barrage of colorful and creative characterizations from the folks who called in, my absolute favorite epithet for those damn kids who <em>still</em> think they can change the world is the very same that inspired <a href=”http://www.campusprogress.org/” target=’_hplink’>Campus Progress</a> to create<em> <a href=”http://www.youtube.com/user/VoteAgain2010″ target=’_hplink’>Iller: Obama Zombies Strike Back</a></em>. All of these terms share the same objective: to delegitimize the efforts of the young people who are proud of what’s been done, optimistic of the progress yet to come, and determined to leverage this dichotomy to encourage their peers to vote again in the midterm elections. It’s time to stop allowing the pundits and pollsters to speak for us- there’s still too much at stake. In the interim, if they insist on calling us zombies, then we might as well embrace it and have a little fun in the process… This video is a Campus Progress contribution to a collaborative project being orchestrated by more than 30 youth organizations and partners (including Global Grind). <a href=”http://www.voteagain2010.com/” target=’_hplink’>Watch out America. Welcome to your first taste of VoteAgain2010.com </a>
