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A West Wing Moment
"I’m 17 years old now and a high school junior...nothing has changed, except for my height and the depth of my voice. My love of politics and history has only grown."
By William Nelligan
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The West Wing is a television show that provides viewers with an inside look into the lives of staffers in the west wing of the White House. For Blunt Youth Radio’s William Nelligan, the award-winning sitcom helped spark an interest in history and politics.
I was about 10 years old when my dad introduced me to the tv show West Wing.
For him, it was an obsession and everyone in my family knew not to disturb him for that hour.
For me, a kid, the West Wing was just an interesting show, about interesting characters, acted by fantastic actors. But soon the West Wing sparked something in me: an interest in current events and politics. Pre-West Wing, I knew of politics. I think I understood ITS role in our society, but I took little interest in it. The show, with its depiction of the President of the United States, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Speaker of the House, gave me an education, albeit fictional, on american government.
It also sparked an interest in american history books. The West Wing was a character-driven show, and the books I read were too. I devoured Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris, adored John Adams by David McCullough, and was inspired by FDR: A Biography by Ted Morgan. I read so much that my mother’s main choice of punishment was taking away a one of my HISTORY books for the day.
Though I loved history, I also loved the current events portrayed on The West Wing.
Then I discovered the New York Times. I soon had my very own subscription, and I read as much as I could, whenever I could. Looking back, it must have been quite a shock for my parents to see their 11-year-old child sitting at the breakfast table reading the Times front page, complaining about Republicans blocking Medicare legislation or progressive tax reform. By the time I was twelve, I began writing letters to the editor. I also tried to educate my peers at school, and keep my parents informed.
I’m 17 years old now and a high school junior...nothing has changed, except for my height and the depth of my voice. My love of politics and history has only grown.
And this year, all those years getting a political education through tv and reading, I actually experienced politics up close by going to New Hampshire on primary day.
There isn’t really a way to explain the kind of nervous energy and excitement that I saw there. Reporters and staffers rushing in every direction. Locals shouting at each other from every street corner. Cars speeding by with people waving campaign flags. It was overwhelming and thrilling. I thought I liked politics a lot before, but nothing could compare to the rush I got from seeing it live.
Very few kids share my passion for history and politics, just as I might not share their passion for something like, say, math. However, I’m confident that most of my generation will, at some point, have their West Wing moment. Each and every day, I’m surprised to see more and more kids discussing political issues. I don’t always agree with their opinions, but I’m glad that they have some.
I’m William Nelligan.
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