Iowa08: Archives

IYA BAKARE writes:
For one who has never been actively engaged or interested in politics in 25 years (let alone as an adult), I have never seen so many young voters get involved in a presidential election.

I observed and interviewed volunteers Thursday at the Students for Rudy campaign headquarters at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. The inside of the office was wrapped in red, white, and blue and covered in Giuliani signs, as if the walls were Christmas presents. Posters, both hand-made and with pictures of the former mayor of New York City, enveloped the office, with a poster from the motion picture Rudy and an Iowa Hawkeyes banner to top it off. Did I mention that all of the volunteers were wearing red, white, and blue Rudy t-shirts?

Perhaps it was because I have not cared to pay such close attention to politics that my neglect slapped me in the face when I saw and spoke with volunteers younger than I.

"I loved politics since I was a little girl because my grandma was always in politics," said Kasondra St. Antoine, a 19-year-old freshman liberal arts major at the University of Iowa. St. Antoine is not only a volunteer, but also chairman of a precinct that includes four dormitories and other housing. "It's awesome to see I'm making a difference."

Jimmy Centers, a 20-year-old junior political science major, is the national co-chairman of Students for Rudy. The chapter started back in September and recruited 465 students, which makes it the largest chapter in the country. Centers said students from all over the country and as far as Virginia came to Iowa to volunteer and participate in Giuliani's campaign.

That includes Nate Griffith, a political science major at Emory & Henry College in Emory, Virginia. "I came up here because we don't have an opportunity to be active there, and to also be involved in a caucus that really matters," said Griffith, a 21-year-old senior.

I saw students ringing a bell after commitments were made to support Giuliani during their phone-banking. On the flip side, I saw students have those they called hang up on them. Whatever the case, those volunteers knew they had a task at hand and continued to press on as I left the office.

Iya Bakare is a graduate student in journalism from McComb, Mississippi.

IYA BAKARE writes:
Who knew that four days in a state I never fathomed of traveling to before this class would turn into such an adventure? Let's face it: when the average person decides to plan a trip in this great country, Iowa doesn't appear in most people's top three choices, let alone, I dare say, top five choices (unless he plays the pick-a- place-without-looking game). Whatever the case may be, I was destined to be in that place, at that time, with those people.

I left my box of "Politics is Corrupt" and "I'm Staying Away From It" that I was comfortable in and realized how oblivious I was to the political world around me. Silly and foolish of me to think I could avoid politics for the rest of my life and truly consider myself an educated, well-rounded individual. Even within politics, there are several facets about politicians as individuals and the parties they represent.

Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of my adventure in Iowa was at Bennigan's the night before we left Iowa. Friday night, I was engaged in a conversation with one of my classmates. As we were discussing diversity, one of the bartenders interjected in our conversation. My classmate politely enlightened her about her culture, and the bartender gave us a sense of the history of the cultural makeup of Bettendorf, Iowa. It was refreshing to have a philosophical discussion in an area where diversity is sparse. I think we all walked away learning from each other.

This class turned out to be such a learning experience for me. I was expecting it to be one on the political aspect, but it was also a revelation personally. I learned from my professors, who taught an excellent and well-planned curriculum for this course. I learned from my classmates, who I have no doubt have a radiant future in journalism.

Iya Bakare is a graduate student in journalism from McComb, Mississippi.