This is basically how it goes: If you are 15,16 or 17 years of age and you have a job, or if you have ever been 15,16, or 17 and had a job, you pay taxes. But, now, or at that time, you could not vote. This is what we all refer to as "taxation without representation." Of course, this a fundamentally recited reason for the war of independence from the King which is celebrated by July 4th. This leaves the question as to what does independence mean to the Youth. Well... not much...yet.
In the United States youth up to age 18 are still considered property in the legal definition. Chattel status. The same way in which African Amercian slaves were and that women were. While blacks adults and women can vote, neither black youth or female youth can vote, while they are subject to the same taxes. While black men can write a living will, black youth cannot. While women have the right to an abortion, young women's bodies are subject to the consent of the parents, in addition to other restrictive laws.
In addition to income taxes (15,16 and 17 year olds) youth pay sales taxes in states where this applies. Of course, sales tax operates slightly differently than income tax in the sense that anyone from one state must pay it in another, however, youth have no access to the equal protection or ability to affect national politics through voting.
You may say that because parents (or the state) legally own their children and because, as you may not know, parents own all the children's income (that's right.. all the way to 18), that it is really the parents who are paying taxes because their children are really slave labor. This is a good argument as to why youth should pay taxes, since it is really their owner paying the taxes. But, it just seems like a lot more paperwork to me. Why not just count their income with the parent? I mean... until they are freed from chattel status by a constituional amendment or another revolution? Maybe it's good paperwork practice for them... filling out forms and such?
So, let us not forget the youth in america at the 4th of July and what it means to them. They are the only class of citizen still not free, still not able to vote and still considered chattel (attached property) in the US. Let us also not forget that the civil liberties of every of class of person; blacks, women, and immigrants to name a few; have been able to gain their freedom while the youth remain enslaved. Further, that the youth have formed a huge part of each of these other movements to help those other classes get the right to self-determination and enfranchisement.
There is still one more abolition movement and one more civil rights movement to go in the US, and perhaps one more revolution. Please don't forget the Youth this 4th of July in whatever celebration you make. If you are a youth look around you deeply, your slavery has not even been named yet.
love=solidarity,
salaud
|
Until people get together and fix the broken political system, we are all slaves no matter who we are. And I don't believe voting within the system helps fix things; it just seems to perpetuate the system and causes most sheeple to become complacent about real change.