When leaders listen, students should vote - Guest column

Who is John Kerry?" Ask several members of my beginning Hebrew class as I attempt to talk about the election in my homework using my limited vocabulary. I was completely shocked: Are my classmates so out of tune with politics and what goes on in the outside world? The answer, thankfully, is no.

While the students who bury themselves in the lab or in the basement of Bloomberg may not be running to the polls, students all over the country are voting in large masses. This is actually very unusual. Candidates generally disregard the 18 - 25 demographic because of its low voter turnout; however, this primary year seems to be different.

But this year is different. All of the Democratic presidential candidates have organized their own "Campus Coordinator" programs, encouraging students to be creative and target their own student body. There has been an increase in campaigns' involvement with college campuses and the campaigns are listening to students.

We should make some noise.

This election is important: It is the election of our college years. Years from now, when our children ask us about Sept. 11, the war on terror, Saddam Hussein and the election of 2004, wouldn't you like to say that you voted and made the difference?

This election is important for people who are our age for many reasons, such as the major dearth in jobs right now, even as many of us prepare to enter the job market very soon. There is still tremendous uncertainty in the economy, and this should be a real concern for us.

So what can you do and when? First, do some research on the candidates, watch a debate and read some paraphernalia -- basically, become educated. I suggest going beyond news sites and visiting candidates' Web pages or reading their literature.

Once you know what candidate you are going to support, you should do something to get them elected. Call the local headquarters, contact the College Republicans or the College Democrats or sign up online. Once you make the initial move, the possibilities are endless, from phone-banking to polling, canvassing or traveling around the country with the campaign staff.

Maybe you are not an international relations or political science major and are not interested in getting into the thick of the political scene. That's alright. I have no interest in ever stepping foot into a Hopkins science class. There is something you can do -- vote.

We are fortunate to live in the United States, a free democracy where citizens are given the privilege and responsibility to vote. It is necessary to exercise that right to vote, fulfill your responsibility as a citizen and be active in the political process.

We have a perfect opportunity to do so. This coming Tuesday, March 2, is "Super Tuesday." Ten states will be hosting Democratic primaries, including Maryland and New York. If you are registered in any of these states, visit the polls or cast your absentee ballot. The only way our generation can be respected and heard is if we give the candidates a reason to respect us -- by showing them that we care about the future of our country.

As President Kennedy said in his inaugural address, "Ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country."

What you, my fellow Hopkins students, can do is vote. The future of our nation lies in the hands of our generation. We cannot let our country down. It is no longer acceptable to stand on the sidelines -- everyone must take an active role.

Stephanie Hausner is a sophomore.