Suffrage

These are the days when I am glad I have cable television.

I am tuned in for hours every evening to CSPAN and CNN. Cable networks, because the big three are not covering the Democratic National Convention.

And I want to watch every minute.

I am not so naive that I think much is actually being accomplished at the convention. The last time anything actually happened that wasn't scripted was probably 1980, when Ted Kennedy tried to get the nomination from incumbent Jimmy Carter. The same is true of the GOP - mostly, the conventions are giant televised public relations events, with speakers and fanfare, but no real decision making.

Yet, oddly enough, I'm OK with that. I enjoy hearing the speeches - sure, the prime time speakers are the big names, but I kind of like hearing the smaller names, too. I like to watch the party-like atmosphere, hear the music, feel the exuberance of the crowd.

I want to be there.

I am bothered that the three major networks are choosing instead to air shows like Wife Swap and America's Got Talent. I'm not sure what sort of message that sends to the electorate. It's really a matter of ratings, this I know - what can you expect of a population that can't name all nine Supreme Court justices? So I shouldn't be surprised that the networks are giving in to dollars. But it seems that the cable channels should be the ones giving people the choice to opt out; the networks should be giving full coverage to a convention where an African-American man will, for the first time in the United States, be nominated as a candidate for president by one of the two major parties - his closest contender being a woman.

It's only been since 1920 that women in the United States have had the right to vote. My own daughters are all too aware of this fact (this is what they get for being reared by a feminist), but it is painful to see how many young women are not only unaware, but almost hostile to the idea that they have a responsibility to vote. And now we have major media bowing to corporate pressure and big money, not even trying to engage our youth.

When I was young, back in the days of only three networks, I do remember feeling as if we were held hostage to major news events. Looking back, however, it made me aware of what was going on: Vietnam, Watergate, Pentagon Papers. Had it not been for television news coverage, I would have unaware. As an adult, I can't imagine trading those memories for a few more minutes of Gilligan's Island.

I watched Michelle Obama as she so beautifully described who she is and what her husband, Barack Obama, will do for the country. I watched as Hillary Clinton so graciously declared her support for Obama, emboldening her delegates to fight the bigger fight and support him, too. I saw Ted Kennedy and Jesse Jackson Jr.; I will be there tonight and tomorrow night to see more champions of what is best for this country stand up and speak to us.

Make no mistake, I will also watch the Republican convention next week. I will watch for many of the same reasons; I will watch to see people with high ideals who want to make the United States a better place. OK, so I find the Democrats more fun - they have better music and better celebrities - but the ideas behind the conventions are the same: motivating the electorate to get involved.

Which is what it has done for me. Today I walked into the local Obama Headquarters and filled out a volunteer form. I'm on the schedule for next week. After revisiting what my grandmother's generation gave up for me to have this right, I am more motivated than ever to encourage not just women, but all people, to exercise this great privilege.

That is my goal. CBS, NBC and ABC may not be up for the challenge of educating the American people about this election. But I am ready to do my part, however small.

What a great country.