Last week, FOX News Commentator insulted teenagers, specifically 17 year olds, by stating that if they can’t choose an entrée by themselves, why let them vote? Watch his comments by clicking here. Five high-school students responded to Carlson’s offensive comments by writing an open letter. Read the open letter below:
“Mr. Tucker Carlson,
As teenagers, we are offended by your comments that compared new laws that allow 17-year olds to pre-register to vote or vote in primaries to not being able to choose what entrée we would like to eat at a restaurant.
The comparison was impertinent. If our civil liberties were dependent on what entree we picked, we would be a little more decisive on our decision. Contemplating and taking time on a decision instead of making a snap judgment shows stronger decision making skills and having well thought out decisions, something that 17 year olds are certainly capable of doing.
Your choice not to speak with Katherine Timpf of Campus Reform about the diversity of the opinions of young voters and instead insult us shows that you don’t value a demographic that includes young viewers who are politically engaged. It also shows that you don’t value the future of this country, the young people who will shape it, or adults who have helped build a strong legacy of civic engagement in our youth.
We have many issues at stake in this country. Many young people are not ignorant to what is going on in our country and we have ideas of how to reform our country and issues. Giving young people the opportunity to vote is one way to have our voices accounted for and to be heard by elected officials. Insulting and demeaning our intelligence instead is not the correct way to give us that opportunity.
When our country encourages civic engagement from young people, our country will have less citizens that are uneducated that make uninformed voting decisions or choose to not vote at all around election time.
All five of us are politically engaged. From being activists, volunteering on campaigns, attending rallies, co-directing a website with an elected official, or being involved with Youth in Government programs, we all have a say in the political process. Our generation has a unique perspective on where our country is headed and we are involved in shaping the future.
We will not be demeaned, have our intelligence go unacknowledged, and be compared to indecisive children that can’t pick an entrée at a restaurant.
We encourage you to show support for young people and our right to vote. In your comments, you stated that you love and respect your 17 year old teenager. If you love and respect your own teenage child, you would never think about demeaning their voice, intelligence, or choices if they chose to vote at 17 years old.
Sincerely,
Madison Kimrey, 12 years old from North Carolina; Emily Spangler, 15 years old from Illinois; Eva Dickerson, 16 years old from Maryland; Annie Cappetta, 17 years old from Illinois; Abena Abraham, 17 years old from Minnesota”