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MTV's Rock the Vote Silences Youth
July 21st 12:52:14 PM
Hans Riemer of Rock the Vote calls Students for Saving Social Security an "adversary"; SSSS excluded from College Democratic National Convention
Washington D.C. - Students for Saving Social Security (SecureOurFuture.org), a non-partisan student group with 180 chapters in more than 40 states nationwide planned a major outreach event at the College Democrat National Convention this Thursday through Sunday. The group's plan however was thwarted when Hans Riemer, Washington Director of Rock the Vote, told the CDNC that SSSS was an adversary to Rock the Vote.
"Two out of three young adults support ownership of Social Security. If Rock the Vote really cared about mobilizing young people they would work with us - not against us - to make young American's voices heard," said Jonathan Swanson, senior at Yale University and Co-founder of SecureOurFuture.org.
"Unfortunately, it seems that Rock the Vote has some agenda other than making the youth voice heard," added Swanson. "It's a David versus Goliath story. We know that young people want to control their retirement, and we believe that passion and hard-work will triumph over moneyed interests with an agenda."
The CDNC was initially willing to work to bring SSSS into the mix. On July 6, Brendan Martin, Convention Chair for the CDNC, said, "Considering the nature of what you are doing I will try and involve you."
The following week on July 19, Shawn McCoy, a junior at the University of Notre Dame and Outreach Director for SSSS, followed up with Martin. He was told that Hans Riemer, Washington Director of Rock the Vote had spoken to the CDNC and warned that SSSS was "a worthy adversary" to Rock the Vote. The convention no longer pursued a way to include SSSS in their weekend.
"I'd hope that Rock the Vote would encourage discussion of Social Security among young people," said John Goodman, a Georgetown Senior and a Democrat. "This is an issue neither party should be avoiding."
"I was surprised that Rock the Vote, a non-partisan group whose stated goal (http://www.rockthevote.org/rtv_about.php) is to 'empower young people to create change in their communities and take action on the issues they care about,' called us an adversary," added Ben Ferguson, a student at Ole Miss and the Communications Director of SSSS. "We're working tirelessly to create change. Rock the Vote should be aiding us not silencing us."
Posted by Jonathan Swanson
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