J. Riley a student of University of Central Florida

Post vice-presidential debate, I had a chance to read my morning dose of The New York Times and there was an article citing college student’s reactions to last night’s event.  This time around it seems young adults are really taking advantage of their voting power by being active in this democratic process.  I loved reading what each one of them had to say, it was well thought out and respectful of both sides.

One view with a lot of people in the United States is that to be smart and intellectual is elitist. By being a non-thinker you are really the one who will let the government take reign and do whatever the heck they want. That’s what a lot of government’s want.

Keep the masses dumb so no one thinks about it too much. Oh yeah? oh yeah??! Think again.

Here is what J. Riley had to say:

As a final thought, it is hard to think that when I walk through the university tomorrow, on my way to class, as I overhear the conversations that my fellow students will be partaking in, I will hear many people saying that Palin won this debate. She saved face after poor interviews earlier this week, but she did nothing to succeed. Biden appeared to be the winner of the debate, as I feel that his responses were more honed to what a college student is going to support.

For one, his support of a change in the policies that America has in dealing with global warming. Climate change is such a hot-button issue here at UCF, and that will be a huge trigger in his favor. Also his recognition that the past years of Bush have been a mistake. It is so hard now to find people who still think of the Bush group as being a good, positive thing for America. Healthcare also swings in Biden’s favor. A system where students can have a healthcare system without worrying about how it will fit with a job is something students will get behind. There should be no reason for any student to be at a university in America and worry about what will happen when they get sick.

Finally, I feel like the overall policy of change is something that students here support. Palin seemed to also talk about change, but every time she did, Biden reminded her that her and McCain’s stance had changed over time. There was a lot of bickering going on, but Biden seemed to keep his cool and give intelligent answers more often. College students are not dumb. Intelligent answers appeal to people who are actively seeking higher education.

On a final note, one definition of elite:

A select group of people with outstanding personal abilities, intellect, wealth, specialized training or experience, or other distinctive attributes — are those whose views on a matter are to be taken the most seriously or carry the most weight; Whose views and/or actions are most likely to be constructive to society as a whole; or whose extraordinary skills, abilities or wisdom render them especially fit to govern.