Editorial: What kind of examples are we setting for the next generation today?

If you think the faces of the youth of America are buried deep into cell phones and other forms of technology, think again.

There has been a longtime stigma that the next generation of leaders are too focused on what’s going on now to care about their long-term future. Once again, this assumption is wrong. In fact, it may be the total opposite.

Today’s society is a testament on how we need to continuously work together for the betterment of the next generation. We can agree to disagree on several matters, but in the end if we’re not doing what’s best for the future, then we are failing in the present.

The constant arguments over vaccines, funding, to mask or not to mask is trivial when it comes to the outlook of our next generation. You want to educate a child? There has to be funding from somewhere. Money trees don’t exist, and even if it did, local, state, and federal governments will want a piece of it. Want to explain to a kid why they can’t play with their friend because they are sick with COVID-19? Do your best, but there will still be objectors to that as well.

Our youth are watching what we are doing. They are looking at the adults for inspiration, guidance, and clarity. Our beliefs can be different, but we have to learn to respect each other. We talk about accountability and paving a way, but what happens if the path is already there, and we refuse to take it?

Let me drop some more thought-provoking conversation. All humans have a right to life, but what gives somebody the right to take that life? Nothing. We are all supposed to be equals despite the color of our skin, religious beliefs, what type of job we work, and more. But there are groups who bash those living in the LGBTQ lifestyle and others who have racist traits that they are superior to others. We’re equals, yet we exclude them in talks.

There are such divides on several topics such as parental rights, landowner rights, and abortion rights. Some parents don’t want their children to wear masks, but the government does for safety reasons to the community. Landowners want to build certain structures on property they own but they have to go through a process to rezone to keep the prestigious look of the area. Women may want to get abortion for reasons to not keep the child (i.e. if they get pregnant because of rape or they can’t afford to take care of the child in a proper way), but the government wants to regulate what we do with our own bodies.

I’m writing this because I honestly want to tell people to sit down, keep their mouths closed, and open their ears. Nothing will ever get better unless we communicate and two mouths talking won’t get anything accomplished. We can take turns adhering to information because the younger generation will watch. Right now, that generation is looking at us and they are thinking one thing…

“Why are we inheriting problems that weren’t caused by us?”

It’s because today’s adults and leaders didn’t sit down and talk about them. Yes, the subjects are sensitive in nature. But tough talks make for stronger debate to resolve issues.
Yes, one person can change the world, but it takes us working together to make society a better place to help our next group of leaders reach attainable goals.