An article in The Hill claims that there’s an upsurge in political interest among young people:

After dipping to an all-time low of 36 percent in 1996 and 2000, voting among those aged 18 to 25 grew 11 percentage points in 2004, a trend that seems to be continuing. A Harvard University Institute of Politics survey has charted a dramatic change in the attitude of younger Americans since 2000. At that time, young Americans were disconnected from government and the political process, more concerned with stock options than politics. The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, changed all that….Initially there was a dramatic surge in support for government action, political involvement and President Bush. A lot has happened since then, including Hurricane Katrina, the war in Iraq and increased concern over global warming. Youthful attitudes toward the Bush administration have changed, but interest in political action has not.

The article ends by warning that “candidates for president ignore their potential and their communications channels at their peril.”

Who comprises the majority in the Supreme Court’s recent 5-4 decision banning abortion?

Catholic males.

More, at NYT.

Danny Glover, who was slated to be the speaker for the Berkeley general commencement will no longer attend the ceremony, instead choosing to stand in solidarity with the unions picketing the school. UC Berkeley fails to pay its janitors a living wage.

I totally support Glover’s decision, but have to wonder why he accepted the invite in the first place. As a senior graduating next Wednesday, I can’t help but feel slightly punished when I know that my peers at other equal institutions get to have awesome speakers while we don’t because of a system-wide strike. The UC system should have dealt with its unfair practices long ago, like maybe after Fabian Núñez rejected last year on the day of the ceremony. Or ideally before that, like maybe never initiating the practice in the first place.

Do you agree?