Letter to the Editor
By Neal Shah, Citizen of Jackson
6/20/2007
It seems that no matter which way you turn there’s a hand sticking out to shake, attached to a smiling face you’ve never seen before, “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” they say, with what seems to be the utmost sincerity. They make promises, “I’ll tell people to vote for you, If you tell people to vote for me”, or what seems to be the more common phrase, “I’ll vote for you, If you vote for me.” Of course there is no way to ascertain if they will really do so, and of course they tell every other person they meet the same. This insincerity is a result of the rat race for power and title that the election system in Boy’s State perpetuates. This is not the fault of the system, but of the overly ambitious individuals who want to win at all cost, it is off putting to see young men turn into such manipulative individuals, this is a time, and a place where we are supposed to develop friendships, a sense of camaraderie, this is a competition, but these false facades, and back stabbing moves, are below us, they are of course part of modern politics, but the young men attending Boy’s State should aspire to a higher level of politics, politics with morals, honor, politics in which one keeps their word, instead of playing the dirty political game.
Several speeches in the nationalist convention resorted to personal attacks, and smear tactics. The participants in Boy’s State should be above these kinds of tactics, we’re supposed to be young men of high moral character, men of honor. We should be above such tactics, we’re supposed to run our campaigns honorably, win on our own merits, not others (petty) faults. This is not what Boys State is supposed to be about, and it greatly disappoints me, and many others that the competition instead of bringing out the best in some people, has caused them to sink to new lows, and brought out the worst in them. The young men who resort to these tactics have given up their moral character, and honor all in pursuit of an office, (in an albeit important, and enjoyable political, and governmental situation), in an imaginary state.
Some aspirants to office have even resorted to cheap gimmicks, emphasizing candy and such, over the issues at hand, offering to do amusing things in order to get elected. Gimmicks like these cheapen the value of our electoral system. Also, many convention attendants did not care about the issues at hand, or the candidates, they just voted for whomever they felt would get the majority, even for major offices like Governor, all in order to get out of the (albeit, hot, stuffy, and humid), convention room. By making decisions on such important issues in our (imaginary) state in such a manner, and on such irrelevant, and trivial issues, cheapens the value of our political system, our elections, and lessens the amount we can learn from this amazing experience we are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend.
Another thing that I did not like, is that in addition to candidates making personal jabs, and calling each other names, several delegates to the convention made derogatory remarks, and said other things that were not very respectful, in particular I felt that the chair of one city (I won’t name names here), made remarks that many may have taken offense to. It is of the utmost importance to treat everyone with respect, and that is one of the values that our great nation is founded upon, it is quite sad that delegates to Boys State, where we are supposed to learn the values of our nation, and participation in the political system have decided to make such remarks, and obviously do not value the education we are receiving here. When chairs preface the introduction of their cities before reading their vote with derogatory remarks and the such, they are lessening the value of our education, they are disregarding the seriousness of such remarks, and the implication they could have upon the perspective others take of the entire delegation, even when some people in the delegation did not approve of the chair’s remarks, and did not wish for him to speak them.
It seems to me that people aren’t treating this with the seriousness that it deserves. Boys State is not a joke; it is a pretty major event. As our counselors have said, and even last years governor has said, “We only get out of this experience what we put into it”, in other words, “Garbage in, Garbage out”, by allowing such garbage as derogatory remarks, name calling, personal jabs in our electoral process, we are cheapening our experience here at Boys State. There are only a select few who participate in such activities, but they are lessening the value of the experience here for those who treat this event with the seriousness it deserves, and those who exercise the restraint, and display the respect that is appropriate, and proper to show in any situation. It is sad that a few rotten apples can ruin the experience for many other people.