Liam Means, March 19th, 2024
How important are young voters' voices in the upcoming elections? On Monday, March 18th, Congressman Morgan Griffith visited Blacksburg High School. His visit speaks volumes to just how significant young voters can be in impacting election outcomes. Griffith, the representative for Virginia’s 9th district, has recently been making his rounds in Virginia High Schools. According to SWVA Today, Blacksburg High School is on a long list of schools Griffith has been visiting over the past month. Why make the effort? Morgan Griffith’s visit was beneficial for two reasons: it helped to educate students on the cusp of adulthood regarding current political events, and it made his name known to anyone in attendance. This meeting was a way for Griffith to engage with potential voters for his upcoming election. Regardless of how students left the meeting feeling, Congressman Morgan Griffith is a name that won’t be forgotten anytime soon for the Blacksburg High School students.
So what does a meeting like this mean? The answer is a lot of preparation, and a very miniscule window of time. The event took place during the 4th block in the auditorium of BHS. It was organized by AP Government and Politics teacher, Eric Morgan. Mr. Morgan stated to students that getting Griffith to the school was a task that he has spent years on, and he was given a very small time window to make it work. Due to this small window of time, a limited number of students were able to get their questions to be answered. A lot was still able to be covered, however.
The highlighted subjects of the visit were the events happening in Gaza between Palestine and Israel, the legalization of marijuana, the current fentanyl crisis, border control, nuclear energy, the presidential age, the electoral college, the TikTok ban, and Griffith’s recent statement of support for former President Donald Trump. Griffith began the meeting with an openly interactive atmosphere; claiming he was going to start with the students in the back before working his way around the entire auditorium to answer questions. He began to get more selective, however, when students in the front two rows began demonstrating agitation towards Griffith for his support of Israel in the current Israel and Palestine conflict. Griffith handled all questions thrown at him like a true politician; never seeming to drop his calm and cheery persona.
Regardless of political opinions, the Morgan Griffith meeting at Blacksburg High School created an environment for the student body to see and interact with our 9th District representative. Students were able to learn more about Griffith, along with certain aspects of how the U.S. government functions from a systematic point of view. It was an educational day for all parties involved, and a great way for young voters to get a headstart in educating themselves on the upcoming election.
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