Image by Gage Skidmore
Secretary Clinton was asked a very interesting question she did not have an answer to: "Why is Senator Sanders beating you 2 to 1 among younger voters?"
Let me lay out some of the major events that America has been through in my own lifetime (est. 1996). Probably the most notable difference between previous generations and my own is that all we have ever known is an America at war. When I first started understanding that there was a whole world outside of my own town, 9/11 happened. Since then we were in Iraq until we moved to Afghanistan. Now we're toeing at Iraq again, with a bonus Syria (in a kind of two for one deal). I'm not saying that our intervention in these countries wasn't necessary, but do you know what it's like to grow up only knowing war? I only know what it's like for people to demonize Muslims and anyone with dark skin. I truly can't remember a time before terrorism and violence and dead American soldiers. I can comprehend that military force is necessary sometimes, but for God's sake, try diplomacy. I mean really try it. This world is going to sh*t and nobody is trying all that hard anymore to remind others that we're all 99.9% genetically identical.
Financially, things aren't looking good for my generation either. We are the first generation in the history of America that is expected to be worse off than our parents. The economic system is broken, but the only people with the power to fix it are Congressmen who are so old and corrupt that they will never feel the repercussions of a ravaged middle class. For millennials, a career is enough odd jobs to weather all future recessions. Government jobs and pensions are unimaginable (they're all taken). Plus, we know for a fact we will never see a single Social Security check. Absolutely no way. Social Security is just some silly number that we memorize to put on our job applications (of which we can expect to have many). I mean let me put it this way, the youth unemployment rate of African Americans is 50%. Congress can't even pass budgets anymore, how can we expect them to help young black people get a decent paying job?
Probably the worst thing my generation will inherit though is the condition of our planet. Climate change is real, and everyone my age knows it. To see the consistent defunding and attacks on science is absolutely ludicrous. President Obama said, "We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it." Oh boy is that true. Older generations, you are ruining the world that we all share. Let me make this very clear: if real (keyword real) changes are not implemented right now, my generation will be the first to see people around the world die from climate change. The byproducts of climate change, such as starvation, diseases, respiratory disorders, and droughts will be the reaper's scythe. Something has to be done now, and old people are too comfortable knowing it won't affect them.
Socially, we're tired of the old guard. Racist remarks and homophobic bigotry will die with my generation. We don't care who you choose to love (unless you're a celebrity and you have nude pictures in iCloud storage). It still isn't easy for gay people to come out, but that's because a bunch of blundering dunderheads are running society and trying to make us perfect little puritans. If you tremble in horror at the thought of two people of the same sex memorizing wedding vows, I have some bad news for you: when my generation becomes old geezers, being gay will be like being left handed, an interesting trait, but nothing worth making a fuss about. People of my generation were stupefied by how long it took old people to realize that it doesn't matter who another person loves.
At the same time, we see the old authority in our society imprisoning and targeting African Americans, and we don't understand it. It bothers people. It confuses us that the older generation is still letting this happen. Didn't we talk about this in the 1960's? Scientifically, there is one, and only one, human race: we are all just people. Move on old people, racism isn't cool anymore.
So how does all this relate to Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders? Well, simply put, it all comes down to hope. Most young people, for some odd reason are more reasonable than the current generation in power. As we begin to enter the real world, we're seeing that the world we're going to inherit is fraught with war, hate, fear, and serious climate problems. We don't want to inherit America as it stands now. We want hope. We know that Congress isn't going to make passing legislation easy, but we have to have change or our future looks pretty bleak.
Hillary Clinton isn't offering us change. She's not saying that she will fundamentally alter how America works to give us a brighter future. Her platform is that she's the least likely to offend anyone by not pushing for something big. Now, I don't agree with everything Bernie Sanders says and I know some of Hillary Clinton's plans are actually better (especially gun control) - in fact she will willingly get my vote if she is the nominee. But Bernie Sanders is offering something new and different: real change. He's proffering up action on climate change, less war, a justice system overhaul, universal healthcare, and a chance for genuine economic opportunity. Hillary Clinton seemed rather flustered by the question of why millennials support Bernie 2 to 1 against her, but to me it's clear when he offers us something she never has: the promise of revolutionary change towards a future that isn't as bleak as the time in which we grew up.