To a young voter: It's your journey now

Editor's note: Donna Brazile, a Democratic strategist and CNN political contributor, is vice chairwoman for voter registration and participation at the Democratic National Committee, a nationally syndicated columnist and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. She was manager for the Gore-Lieberman presidential campaign in 2000 and wrote "Cooking With Grease."

(CNN) -- They say there's an "enthusiasm gap." They say that you're apathetic, that you're too tuned in, that there's too much "i" in your life.

They say a lot of things. They said them 40 years ago, too. They got it wrong then. Forty years is not so long -- just two generations, after all, a journey through a wilderness. We haven't changed so much that they won't get it wrong again.

They thought that it was all about the slogans. You know: Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Tune in, turn on and drop out.

Didn't one of the snarkers say we should make marijuana a wedge issue? Please. Wedgies are for juveniles.

Look at the delinquents playing with guns at political rallies run like sporting events. Or stomping on an opponent. You're smarter than that.

So you've got two wars, and we only had one. Ours was front-page news night and day. Seen any flag-draped coffins lately, or footage of wounded vets on TV? Your wars have gone on longer, but at least you don't have to play if you don't want to. We had to play hide-and-seek with Uncle Sam and ping-pong with our conscience.

bill clinton newt gingrich sarah palin al sharpton bill oreilly