Michael Connery’s Youth to Power received an excellent review on Alternet today, yet a few members of the community have lashed out against the Millennial generation in their comments. Here are some examples of the comments:

Absolutely. The problem with the “youth vote” and upper crust “progressives” in general is that they have a very short attention span. They are also less likely to vote come November.

Stop the a–kissing and remind people that as Americans they have an obligation to vote. Young, old and in between. I’m tired of the demographics and stats that create status and and self importance. There is no reward for voting but there’s pay back when you don’t. The example is now in the White House. The early primaries this election were proof that it’s about numbers. Get out and vote or the media will elect our president. Let them find real jobs. Thanks, ANNA

Most American youth can’t point out Korea on a globe, so their credibility is lacking. They spent too much time trying to act like the retarded gansta rappers they’ve been brainwashed to think are great.

Tired of being stereotyped as frivolous? Having a short attention span? Saying one thing, then doing another-or worse-nothing at all? Well, then, you’ve got a dandy chance to put all those preconceived notions to rest this November by FOLLOWING THROUGH on your promise to vote for a better future. The rethugs won’t be expectiog it. Remember 2004? There were great expectations of massive youth support for John Kerry, but it never materalized. No wonder your elders don’t expect much from you this time. Show them how wrong they are, and you’ll possibly save our nation from another bushie dark age.

Luckily Michael and some others have been countering the anti-youth offensive:

arclight7…I’ve got news for you… most Americans can’t point out Korea on a globe! Don’t blame the young people! It wasn’t the youth that put this criminal in the White House! It wasn’t the youth that got us into this god-forsaken war! It isn’t the education policies of the young that fails to teach them geography anymore! How narrow-minded and myopic your view of the youth in this country and their right to have a role in the politics of this country! Remember, it’s them who will be making policy that will effect you when you’re old and sitting in a nursing home. Better treat them better.

Even though there is no draft to motivate young people, they are energetically employing the most powerful antiwar/social-change weapon of all: the ballot box. For that reason, Barack Obama should become our next president. If not this year, he absolutely will win the White House in 2012. As for me, an old fart (72) with grandkids, I couldn’t be happier.

The Democratic Party should be “big” enough for everybody, shouldn’t it? Why can’t candidates appeal to all voters, regardless of age, race, religion (or lack thereof), sex? For those of you discounting the youth vote, aren’t they the future of this country? Don’t they have a bigger stake in who our leaders are and the policies that will be enacted? Talk about short-sighted! Perhaps it’s true what they say about Boomers… it’s always “ME! ME! ME!” Get over yourselves and encourage younger people to be involved and get active! How the hell does that hurt you? Perhaps you’re afraid of some new ideas, new perspectives? I listened to the Obama’s being interviewed on MSNBC and Michelle Obama said that the younger voters are very important in this campaign. And she’s right. I’m glad someone is reaching out to young people to let them know it’s their country, too! They’ve been ignored for too long already.

18 – 29 year olds were the only age demographic to vote in favor of John Kerry in 2004. Every other age group voted in favor of Bush. Youth turnout was up by 4.3 million votes in 2004. Turnout jumped to it’s highest level in over a decade. Young people did their part, they just didn’t get any help from the Boomers or Xers.

Yep. I’m 28. Voted for Kerry AND Gore. Where was everyone else?

Today’s young voters are one of the most progressive voting blocks in the country according to research by CIRCLE and PEW. They are also the biggest generation in American and voting increasingly Democratic – making them the greatest hope for a long-term progressive majority in the 21st Century.

The sad thing is that even though Alternet has had great coverage of the youth movement, there are still some readers that when faced with great news about the potential for the Democratic party in 2008 and the decades to come, get defensive and attack the generation that can lead to this realignment. The largest generation in the history of the United States is heavily identifying as Democrats and yet instead of welcoming such a development they mock and demean it. While those that commented negatively on the Alternet article are a tiny part of the community, it shows that even on friendly territory there are those that express anti-youth sentiments.

These people blame young voters for not saving them from their own generation, and that is disturbing. As Michael pointed out, 18-29 year olds were the only demographic to vote for John Kerry in 2004. The millennial generation has yet to reach its full electoral strength, but the Boomers and Gen Xers have, and voted for Bush.

The mindset that 18-29 year olds in 1978 are the same as those in 1988, or 2008, is based on a fallacy that ignores the characteristics of each individual generation and only focuses on their youth.

I would like to make it clear that not everyone from the Baby Boomer and X generations has this attitude towards youth, and there are many that have done amazing things to support the youth vote, but sadly a great deal seem to share this disdain of youth.

Update: My article as originally written was not clear enough. The idea was that even on Alternet, a site that has been very good in covering the youth vote, there are those, although a very small percentage, that still hold on to negative perceptions of the youth vote.