Youth Are Not Politically Disengaged - If They Have a Reason to Believe

A great thing about political campaigns is you meet new people, often outside your usual spheres and circles.  It adds dynamics and depth to ones understanding of how others see the world.  I especially enjoy spending time with younger people and finding out more about their points of view and not just about politics - about everything they see as important.

The presumptions and stereotypes we are so quick to attribute and hesitant to change about one group or another is a dangerous thing.  Pattern making is one of the great gifts of the human species and also one of our greatest downfalls because it hinders our ability to reflect on a deeper understanding appreciation or even plain tolerance for differences.

I am very aware of the application of this patterning perpetuating beliefs and superficial assumptions.  One that drives me crazy is the superficial assumption that youth are not involved and engaged in politics.  They are not involved in the outdated and sclerotic political institutions but that is a far cry from saying they are not involved.  They are - just not in the traditionalist top down command and control concepts of political culture.  

I want you to meet Erin Craig.  She is a young musician who has become politically engaged through the Glenn Taylor campaign to be the leader for the Alberta Party.  Here is her email to her friend expressing her thoughts and asking her friends to also become active, informed and engaged citizens.  It is also a strong testimonial for Glenn Taylor and food for thought as to why he is the right kind of person to lead with others in the Alberta Party.

The Alberta Party is an effort to change the old way of doing politics in a top down hierarchy with concentrated and centralized leadership.  It is a learning organization with people very skilled at the use of social media as an outreach tool and a means for message amplification.  But the Alberta Party is dedicated to speaking with people directly, face to face, in what we call The Big Listen.  This is an effective and sincere effort to form real relationships amongst people.  It is a growing citizen's movement learning to become a new kind of political party to foster progressive changes to the Alberta political culture.    

Young people like Erin Craig catching on to what the Alberta Party is all about.  I expect many of them, like Erin,  will find that Glenn Taylor is a different kind of leader, one they can believe in.  Everyday I am seeing a progressive sea change coming to Alberta in the next election as the Erin Craig story get repeated all over the province and through all different kinds of people.

I encourage you to dust off your citizenship and park your apathy...it boring.  There is a revival of democracy in the Alberta air these days and the Alberta Party is part of that spring freshness you a sensing.  Join us and be the change you want.  Support Glenn Taylor as the leader for the Alberta Party and help make the change you want in Alberta a reality.  You can join Team Taylor by purchasing an Alberta Party membership online and volunteering for Glenn by sending me an email at kenc@glenntaylor.org

Looking forward to hearing from you.