Delaplane to talk to Youth in Politics

Delaplane to talk to youth group

Youth in Politics will meet Aug. 12, 6 p.m. in the Brick Room of Brethren Retirement Community. Public is invited.

Darke County Commissioner Diane Delaplane will talk to the Youth in Politics group about the duties and responsibilities of the commissioner’s office at its Aug. 12 meeting. The group will be inviting candidates for commissioner over the coming months to find out how they plan to address the office if elected in November.

“Candidates will be asking these young people for their support,” said Bob Robinson, group advisor. “Most of them can’t vote yet, but their parents can… and, if they want, they can get involved in the campaigns of the candidates of their choice. These kids have a strong interest in learning how the political process works.”

Delaplane was elected Darke County Commissioner in 2008. She is not due to run again until 2012. She will be outlining the daily routine and responsibilities of the office, as well as field questions about what she considers to be strong qualifications for serving as a commissioner.

In July, the group heard from Greenville High School senior Paul Reitz about his spring semester in Washington, D.C. Reitz served as a Page for the House of Representatives. He was appointed by U.S. Rep. John Boehner, 8^th District.

Reitz acknowledged being excited about the time he spent there and thought the “dynamics” of the Washington scene were interesting. He noted that Mark Twain’s “Guilded Age” seemed appropriate.

Politicians who make it to Washington are typically “two-faced,” he said. They will rant and rave on the podium about another politician, then make plans to join him for dinner that evening.

He found that the experience he had with 67 other kids, all fellow pages – most with widely different perspectives and backgrounds – made it possible for him to believe that government leaders can work together for the people.

He used as an example a friendship he developed with a Page from Illinois, someone who had totally “opposite views” from his.

Some of the highlights of his stay included witnessing the State of the Union address, meeting the president of Mexico and “holding in my hands” three bills having to do with counter-terrorism.

“That four and a half months was the best experience of my life,” he said.

Youth in Politics had its first meeting a little over a year ago and consisted mostly of Greenville area youth. A second group was recently formed by Mississiniwa Valley students. The two groups will meet jointly to discuss county, state and national issues, as well as individually to discuss specific local issues.

The Aug. 12 meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in the Brick Room of Brethren Retirement Community. Membership in the group is open to any interested young person, and all meetings are open to parents, educators and other interested adults.

Youth in Politics will be organizing as a student-led bi-partisan group once it begins its fall campaign to get interested young people throughout the county involved in the political process. In the meantime, anyone who would like more information can contact Robinson at opinionsbybob@gmail.com.

Reitz, in his July presentation, gave a challenge to group members that could be construed as a fundamental objective of Youth in Politics.

“Immerse yourselves in the ideology of those who do not agree with your own,” he said, “then you will learn the validity of your own arguments.”

Bob Robinson is the retired editor of The Daily Advocate, Greenville, Ohio. You can read his comments, opinions and reports at http://opinionsbybob.blogspot.com. If you wish to receive a daily notification of items posted, send your email address to: opinionsbybob@gmail.com. Feel free to express your views.