There’s always that one kid that who never shuts up - the kid  being slapped in the mouth by their parents, because they’re never quiet. That was me: opinionated, unswayed by attempts to silence my gift of gab. To be fair though, when you grow up influenced by military, deep roots in America, and the southern gift of speaking, you can’t really blame me.

I’m now in my upper teens and my opinions are refined and ready to share with my country. I keep myself informed on current affairs; ready to deliver appropriate opinions. Ready to engage (in discussion or argument. Your definition is your definition)- I open my mouth. Again I meet silencing forces: this time they’re not physical, rather blatant disregards. I’m not even acknowledged.

To them I’m a child: this equates to me being unintelligent and ill-informed on current affairs. Initially this didn’t disturb me - I shrugged it as a natural occurrence and proceeded to share ideas with my peers.

I remained this way until a few years back. I came across a news segment about local governments decreasing funding for education. I was outraged: not by the decision, yet insistence from a room of adults 20 years minimum removed from the public education system, that they knew exactly how affected children would respond. It was hogwash: These were the same people who shunned my opinions, yet now had the audacity to go in front of others and advocate on my behalf ,when they didn’t even know it?

It was a problem that would serve as a catalyst to me founding “The Purple Party” : A Youth Political organization which aims to unite young people in order to combat the political discourse  within American politics, all while giving young people a voice. I had a vision that would show that young people are more than capable of intellectual thoughts. Their minds shouldn’t be dismissed as novel and unimportant.

With my new found political wave gaining momentum, I turned my focus to the concentration on unity. With numerous incidents in the past year dividing America, it was obvious that  we begin to do our best on focus on ways to bring the country back together.
After drafting a letter “A Letter To Us All” critiquing all American’s attitude of divisive progress (which is oxymoronic), I sent such it out to many outlets: governmental and news. The response? Nothing.

Once again I was silenced. For a moment I managed to hold my tongue. This was until June 2, 2015 when I caught wind that the Atlanta Public School system had cut funding for fine arts. Dedicated to finding information that would serve as a counterargument, I remembered the Declaration of The Rights of A Child, which I had analyzed earlier.

Within it, I found something intriguing.

It states on Principle 3: The child shall be entitled from his birth to a name and a nationality

The definition of “name” is rather simple to decipher, but nationality’s definition I decided to look up.

Miriam Webster defines it as : the fact or status of being a member or citizen of a particular nation.

Where is this nationality to which I am entitled? Though I am a devout citizen and patriotic American, I couldn’t help but feel that my nationalism was being taken.

the Declaration of Independence states “....to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”

My right as a citizen give me a voice in situations affecting me, but this is not the case. Because of my age, I’m not seen as a full citizen. I must ask then , if the nationality promised to every child is being fulfilled to  American children? Are we indeed children without nationality?

Young people aren’t asking to run the government entirely, we’re asking to be heard. We’re not trash and we refuse to sit back in silence while decisions affecting us, are passed and we’re silenced? I think it’s forgotten young people will inherit this nation. Unless they are given this nationalism, when the time comes, they will not know how.

Think about it.

Since I was younger I've felt an overwhelming sense of patriotism: I love my country. When I say my country, I'm referring to all the individuals inside it and the founding principles to which this nation was established. My adoration is so large that I do my best to keep up with current affairs, informing myself on the effects of current effects, on us as a poli-state. As I try and speak on these issues as a teenager and young adult, however, I feel as if my opinions have always been dismissed. Even after being the Founder of a Youth Political Organization(The Purple Party) and making positive change, Im not seen as legitimate enough. How is that fair? Why am I being invalidated, because of my age?