Every semester, Tempe Undergraduate Student Government hosts an event called Puppies and Politics to help promote student organizations. The event hosted most of ASU's political clubs and brought students directly to where these clubs were tabling. It became evident that many of these groups were newly founded, yet still attracted a plethora of students. The non-partisan organizations stood out in particular.
The formation of student-led political clubs comes at a critical moment in U.S. politics. Not only is there a presidential election, but civic engagement is continuing to increase across college campuses. A UCLA study shows students are now increasingly more likely to participate in petitions and demonstrations. Civic engagement, the process of getting involved in the political process through community outreach, is a crucial factor in policy making. It can affect politics at the grass-roots and even national level.
These non-partisan organizations accomplish the most important purpose of political clubs: They educate college students. An increase in political polarization is occurring as people make political assumptions and refuse to compromise, often times based on uninformed decision making. To combat this, groups like Action for America use political connections to bring experts in policy research from Washington D.C. to ASU to address key political issues and provide possible solutions.
What makes these non-partisan groups unique is their ability to host events with support from multiple parties. For example, supporters of multiple presidential candidates attend every weekly meeting for Alexander Hamilton Society, of which I am an active member. While they may argue, at the end of the day they all recognize each other as ASU students, and not with an “us versus them” mentality.
Civic engagement is only going to continue growing, and non-partisan organizations at ASU are doing an exemplary job bringing students with different beliefs together. These organizations effectively emphasize both sides of a political issue so that ASU students can make informed and educated decisions. As President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.”
By providing a platform for educated arguments, student-led political clubs prompt students to make thoughtful analyses, which can greatly impact our future for the better. The efforts of these organizations are vital and need to continue to develop. Besides, we occasionally have parties with puppies! Who says that politics have to always be boring. We can create lasting memories with friends while promoting change, too.
Related Links:
Pooches and politics present at Tempe Undergraduate Student Government Senate meeting
5 ways to prepare for the coming presidential primaries
Reach the columnist at jeffery.brooks@asu.edu or follow @abrooks14 on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
Want to join the conversation? Send an email to opiniondesk.statepress@gmail.com. Keep letters under 300 words and be sure to include your university affiliation. Anonymity will not be granted.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
