My son

[Janet Ritchie]

My son Evan who is 8 asked me tonight about voting. He wanted to know why he wasn't allowed to vote. I told him that he can vote when he turns 18. He wasn't happy with that answer because he really wants to vote for Barack Obama.

I wish kids could vote because they are getting smarter.

[Diane Lindstrand]

The wait was long and hard for me too. My family has been involved in politics my whole life. The very day I turned 18 I registered to vote and I have voted in every election since. Tell Evan while he's hanging in there waiting to vote he can still support whoever and whatever he wants and be involved in lots of ways. You're obviously raising him well, keep up the good work!

[Jena Burstein]

Janet,

What a wonderful question that your son asked. I remember when I was in my first logic class in college and the instructor was teaching us about "loaded questions". He used the classic example, "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?" Which, of course, implies that the receiver of the question beats his wife, though he may not. If he does not beat his wife then there is no way to accurately answer the question. I remember, being the cheeky young girl I was, raising my hand and saying, "So, don't answer the question with a yes or no. Why not answer with 'I don't beat my wife'?" To which the professor said, "That's not answering the question, that's rejecting the question."

Unwittingly, you have rejected your son's question! You never answered it!

In the history of the world, in all civilizations, in all cultures, in all religions - there has been one type of discrimination that has always been accepted. The discrimination of the "feeble-minded". This not only includes those who have mental challenges, but also includes children and animals. In the past, certain groups have tried to discriminate against other groups by saying that they are "feeble-minded". For example, "women shouldn't be able to vote because they are not as strong as men. The men determine the wife's vote. Thus married men get more votes than unmarried men, because women's mind are easily manipulated." How about this one, "Minorities are inferior of mind. They should not be able to influence the government because they are uneducated. They shouldn't be educated because it is a waste of time. Their minds are not advanced enough to understand high levels of thought." Or this oldie, "Obviously muslims are weak of mind. If they weren't, then they would live 'correctly' by excepting the teachings of Jesus." On and on and on. While the "feeble-minded" argument has been used for centuries to prevent certain groups from attaining basic rights, there are three groups of living beings that no one argues belongs in the "feeble minded" category: the mentally challenged, children and animals.

No one ever argues that a three year old is mentally developed enough to consent to sex. No one ever says that their dog is wise enough to be governor. No one in their right mind believes that someone who has severe brain-damage should be fiscally responsible. For these groups of beings, societies have always placed special protections and limitations - in other words, for good or bad, they have been discriminated. The real argument is when these protections and limitations should begin and/or end. These lines of distinction have always been argued.

When does a child become an adult, and what does that mean? In our society, more than any other, we are tremendously inconsistant regarding when a child becomes an adult. In the work force, a child is considered an adult sometimes as young as 13 years old. In regards to sex (and therefore parenthood), in some states the child is considered an adult at as young as 14 years old - but they aren't adult enough to get married until they are 16 and they aren't adult enough to consent to gay sex unless they are 18. You aren't adult enough to be fiscally responsible until you are 18, but you can be tried as an adult in criminal court as young as 12. You are adult enough for the government to use you to kill others in foreign countries at the age of 18, but you arent' adult enough to be a police officer in your own country until you are 21. You are adult enough to pay taxes and therefore pay for the government discriminating against you, at any age, but you aren't adult enough to vote for the officials or petition the government until you are 18. You are adult enough to get addicted to cigarettes at the age of 18, but you aren't old enough to drink champagne at your own wedding until you are 21. You are adult enough to be responsible for student loans to go to university at 18, but your parents' incomes are used to determine those loans until you are 22. Need I go on?

I think an interesting conversation to have with a child is asking them what the difference is between an adult and a child, and why that is important. Then go from there.

As for my personal views - our government was founded on the principle of "no taxation without representation". If someone is mentally competent enough to pay taxes, then they should be allowed to vote, run for office or petition the government. If the government deems them too mentally undeveloped to vote, then they shouldn't be asked to pay taxes. And, yes, this would include sales tax, income tax, property tax, capital gains tax, and all the others. No taxation without representation. I don't know about others, but I was working and paying sales and income tax by the time I was 16. You don't want me to vote at 16? All right, but don't make me turn around and pay your salaries for restricting my rights.

[Konrad Roeder]

Earlier this year, my son Chase, 9 and I took a trip with David Spring to Olympia to watch our State Senators and Representatives work during a session. He was asking me why some our Senator spent a lot of time talking when all the other Senators were busy behind their desks working. From his frame of mind, it was very similar to school in that they had a lot of desks, papers and books. Some of the participants were clearly not working and others were focused. He did not know that many of the bills up for a vote had already been discussed in an earlier hearing. Chase properly observed that becoming a State Senator or Representative is a worthwhile thing to do and that it involves serious work in order to represent people. Him saying that he someday may want to do that may have planted a seed we might see in 20 years.

I think in the same way that it's a good think to take the time to vote with your kids there. They will learn it's a worthwhile activity. I believe he won't miss a vote in 10 years.

[Mike Barer]

When I was in grade school the age was 21, I think it earlier in history, you had to be a landowner. Until the earlier part of the last century, a voter had to be a male. The poll tax levied, had prevented African-Americans until the middle of the 20th century so little by little more of our citizines (sp) have gained the right to go to the polls.