The article You’re 16, You’re Beautiful and You’re a Voter by Anya Kamenetz focuses on her beliefs that teenagers should have more rights. She includes many different laws that should be made and many effective ways to carry out those laws. Kamenetz’s main point is that the voting age should be lowered to 16.
The 2008 primaries are starting to bring this younger generation to the polls. The lines that divide who can be killed for their country and who can vote are becoming inadequate. These age requirements should be paired with educational necessities.
Driving laws in many states allow 16-year-olds to get a learner’s permit, letting them drive with restrictions. In about a year, they get their full driver’s license. If 16-year-olds can do this, they should be allowed to get an early voting permit by passing a test that shows them fit enough to vote. This would help to reinforce voting as a privilege.
Since many teens already drink and have sex, laws should be made to allow them to do this openly. 16-year-olds would get a drinking permit after passing a course about alcoholism. This permit would allow very moderate drinking at public gatherings for two years. Credit cards for 16-year-olds also could work with restrictions. They would be required to pass a financial literacy test and have a parental co-signer. This would install more confidence with money when teens leave home.
Young people should start to think about their futures in their late teens. But it is hard for them to do this when they have limited rights. Kamenetz believes that we have to start treating teens more like adults in order to ensure that they are qualified to solve the problems of life.
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