The Need for Empowerment

The American people feel powerless and are extremely uneducated in relation to politics government, and the world around them. Civic participation is considered a fruitless measure in the minds many American citizens. When interviewed on the subject; many depict themselves as a minute part of a huge entity in which they have no control. Others expressed a lack of time and energy that it takes to be involved, or a dependence on the country as a whole - to make the right decisions. The understanding of democracy and its principals are concepts of an unknown territory that is feared in relation to a general lack of education on the subject. Therefore, civic participation continues to plummet. Moreover, lack of education in government structure infused with a romanticized knowledge of history also contributes significantly to this lack participation. The American people are in need of empowerment by use of education in the structure of government, history, and politics that should begin at an early age, and be instituted within every curriculum across the country.

Empowerment in civic Participation

In conducting a staff interview at Sierra Vista Health Care Center it became evident that many do not feel empowered enough to participate in politics. A random sample of fifty people were polled, and divided into three groups. Group one included those between the ages of eighteen, and thirty five. Group two: thirty six – fifty , and group three included all staff over fifty years of age. The only group that felt the slightest bit empowered to make a difference was group two. However, group two consisted of only ten participants. When asked do you vote? Dawn Anzuelda, a group one participant stated “ no I don’t.” when asked why...

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