College Freshmen Volunteer Their Views

Re “Poll Says College Freshmen Lean Left,” Jan. 28: According to UCLA’s survey of college freshmen, volunteering is at an all-time high. Yet young adults are the lowest-voting population in the country. The survey confirms a well-observed trend among young adults. Fortunately, young adults are not apathetic; they choose not to vote because they feel they have a greater impact on their communities through volunteering than they do through voting.

The gap between volunteering and voting deserves immediate attention by all those concerned with strengthening California’s democracy. The gubernatorial candidates are in a unique position to engage young adults in the upcoming general election. By pledging to participate in a televised youth debate, the candidates could communicate to California’s young adults that their votes are instrumental to the future of their communities and California’s democracy.

Merriah Fairchild

California Youth Vote

Los Angeles

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It is not surprising that many college freshmen define themselves as “liberal,” as most students have not yet encountered the realities of life that will surely change their political outlook. Once those students graduate, there will be no student loans or “parental scholarships” to support them. Upon gainful employment, they will be subject to the same punitive tax system designed for wealth redistribution as the rest of us. Their perceived rights and freedoms will be imposed upon by the liberal concepts of social engineering, over-regulation and “political correctness.” The 73.6% of college freshmen who said they want to be “very well off financially” will surely see that liberal political beliefs and their financial goals are not compatible.

David Whitehead

Los Angeles