ORANGE COUNTY VOICES : Youths Urged to Sound Off With Ballots : Voting: A student begs her peers to overcome apathy and, for a change, make a difference on Election Day.

Throughout history, students have helped to spark and lead revolutions, inspire new social thought and bring about great social change. We helped others to help themselves, and bettered ourselves in the process. New doors were opened for our futures, which will eventually effect our descendants.

But something is setting in now, which should scare us. And it has a name. Apathy.

Politicians think we, the younger generation, don’t care; maybe because we don’t vote. The highest voter turnout for the 18-24 age group was in 1972 when 18-year-olds were first given the right to vote. In every succeeding election, the numbers have dropped. As a result, we are labeled by some as apathetic; they believe we just don’t care.

Why, when students fight for and are given a privilege, do they soon start taking it for granted? We have the right to vote. We should exercise it.

This year is critical for students. We can be the deciding factor in the November elections!

The issues which are important to the nation, such as social spending, taxes, health care, law and order, the United States’ military involvement in trouble spots around the world and gay and lesbian rights are particularly important to students.

Do you worry that our children will not have forests to visit on family vacations? Do you believe that an unborn baby has the right to live? Does the testing of your hair products on animals bother you? Are you worried that the rising cost of education may limit your choices of schools or courses?

Did the censoring of your Red Hot Chili Peppers CD anger you? There are so many things that affect young voters; military and defense spending, minority rights, prayer in public schools, AIDS, our future responsibility for the national debt.

Young people have a chance to influence such issues. But the only way the politicians will listen to us is if we vote.

Students must empower themselves with their vote. They need to create a new student voting bloc, one which supports candidates who reflect their concerns.

Young voters have a special reason to vote--their futures, because if they don’t vote now, they may not have one.

The older generation will continue to vote for short-term solutions without consideration of the long-term effects. But when they are gone, it will be us, today’s students, who will have to contend with the results of any short-sighted decisions. If students don’t take action now, they have no right to complain later.

We always worry about not having a real voice when we vote, but this time we could dramatically change the outcome of next month’s elections.

The 1992 election gives the younger generation a chance to be heard, loud and clear. There are millions of young Americans eligible to vote in November. They must utilize their strength and turn out in large numbers to elect a government which will truly represent us. Students can help put this country on the right path toward change.

Let’s show the world how much we really do care. Vote on Nov. 3.