<p>My Amherst Essay, what do y'all think......it is nothing like any essay I have ever written but...</p>
<p>"I'm not a machine. I feel and believe. I have opinions. Some of them are interesting. I could, if you'd let me, talk and talk...."</p>
<p>Twenty years ago, a disease spread like wildfire through a community of minorities. No one noticed. It was not until the victims of political injustice banded together that they brought AIDS to the attention of the world and carried their demands into a law. Today, the power of a group of individuals who share beliefs and fight for what they believe in is still capable of creating change. Unfortunately, this organization of thought rarely includes the average American. While todays citizens still care about their communities, many are no longer convinced that politics and government matter. In the 1960s former Speaker of the House Tip ONeill asserted that "All politics is local." But is that true today? Television has fundamentally changed campaigns by shifting the focus from grassroots organizing to costly advertising. For the vast majority of Americans, politics is less and less local; elections happen only on television. When this is the only place politics happen it is easy to become apathetic and disengaged for politics becomes no more relevant than any other television spectacle. In this sense, politics has adapted to the changing culture just like other institutions. In order for our nation to grow, however, those who have long remained politically apathetic must take an active role in their government by voting in elections and coming together to seek change. </p>
<p>Protests occur daily, demonstrations are held by the thousands, and the average American seems unhappy with his political representative. As frequently as the citizens of the world speak up, however, many refuse to listen. The ability to cross cultures or ethnicities has diminished greatly. While those who are protesting the war stand in front of the Capitol, the pro-life demonstrators are at the gates of the White House, neither finding time to listen to each others views. </p>
<p>For this reason, it has become increasingly important for the active exchange of ideals to exist. While Bill OReilly and Michael Moore may trade jabs for the money and the fame, it is the voters who must come to their own conclusions through listening and respecting those who they normally would not. Whether it be in school, on the subway, or across the internet, a healthy dialogue is the only cure to a world that is increasingly divided. Without this, the ability to unite and bring peace to the world is almost nonexistent.</p>