Change my vote, please!

In the article "You've Got My Vote" by Michael Larrick, the writer clearly criticizes our generation for voting bases on celebrity opinions, rather than political policy. He uses Madonna as an example because at a recent concert she shows pictures of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, Adolf Hitler, worldwide destruction, affects of global warming, and Republican President candidate John McCain. Part of the 18-24 age group's most distinguishing political characteristic is that we have the lowest voting percentage age group in the US. Currently, the best turnout rate seems to hover right under 20% of that population voting (US Census 2006). It's not a wonder Mr. Larrick is criticizing the following of celebrity votes like sheep.
For the population this article was intended for, this article seems almost insulting, or at least a brash criticism of this generation's ability to care about politics. "You've Got My Vote" is saying, you all are just following a dummy celebrity who "sings and dances for a living" (Larrick 31). It's true, the youngest voting-age population typically is more involved in school and celebrities. They are anthropologically, since they are at the age where independence is achieved or attempted to be achieved, more likely to listen to socially inappropriate music very loudly and drink alcohol. Most JMU students can attest to that. Thus, it makes sense that what our celebrity idol says would be important for us, even when it comes to voting. Since the age group already does not regard voting as a high priority, definitely not higher than music they listen to, it does not seem "wrong" to listen to our idols.
However, there is a point. Celebrities usually have not gone to school and learned about international affairs. Most of their opinions are as educated as our own. What they say should not carry too much weight, when and if we vote. They should carry as much weight as any other student making their argument to us at school, which seems to be a fair bottom line the author of "You've Got My Vote" is trying to make. At the end, he suggests that we "do the sensible thing and write in Will Smith" as a satirical suggestion.
It was definitely the intention of the author to change the reader's mind, if they every did vote based on what a celebrity say. Mr. Larrick has clear intentions to make the readers aware of what goes on in making a decision to vote and tells the reader that celebrities carry no credence in the realm of politics. At the end, it seems everyone should make their own votes and decisions based on our own reasons.


Larrick, Michael. "You've Got My Vote". The Breeze. September 2008. 49 Lines.
http://www.thebreeze.org/2008/09-2/op4.html
US Census. "Voting and Registration in the Election". US Census. November 2006. Table 4b.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/voting/cps2006.html