TEEN CENTER :: COLLEGE CENTER :: FRESHMAN JOURNAL

February 2003

Doing My Part For Democracy

By Caitlin Noris
Special to The Wall Street Journal

My parents' generation had a lot to fight for. They lived through the Korean War, the Civil Rights movement, and the Vietnam War. In 1969, men fresh out of high school faced the draft. Many young people were politically-minded and cared about national affairs. With the late 1980s, it seemed like all that activism came to a sudden halt.

Antiwar protest march in Pittsburgh on Super Bowl Sunday

My generation had it easy-the Cold War was over and the economy was great. Like most teenagers, my view on the world was optimistic until September 11th. Suddenly, my sense of immortality was crushed. Yet I felt proud and lucky to be an American. The tragic events had given me a new respect for democracy.

Then, on Super Bowl Sunday, I was awoken by a strange noise coming from outside my window. I was astonished when I looked outside and saw nearly 5,000 people marching down one of the busiest streets in Pittsburgh. My roommate and I looked out from the 16th floor of our dormitory and watched as people beating drums, carrying posters, and wearing colorful costumes walked past.

I immediately realized the march was one of the anti-war protests that had been sweeping the nation. Like many others, I had begun to feel a strong opposition to war with Iraq. An urge to express my beliefs caused me to throw on a light jacket, race downstairs with my friend Karen Graham, and join the march. In the six-degree wind-chill and steady snow, we could only march for a few blocks. However, the short period of time I spent in the protest has come to mean a great deal to me.

Walking in the protest made me feel as if I had somehow affected world events. Alone I may have been just one voice, but together the protestors made a loud, clear statement to the President. I began to understand that not only was it OK to disagree with the government, but it was actually constructive. After all, the right to peaceful protest is one of the foundations of democracy.

Since our generation represents the leaders of the future, we should have a say in what happens. College should be (and usually is) a place where one can freely debate issues and learn from others. A huge part of my freshman experience has been forming my own opinions and realizing the importance of standing by my beliefs. Even if we go to war with Iraq, I'm glad I participated in the march. By voicing my own opinion, I did my share to help preserve democracy in America.

Caitlin Noris, originally from Miami, Fla., is a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh. Her Freshman Journal will be updated periodically on the Classroom Edition Web site.