‘Real World’ stars urge students to vote

MTV, UPB team up to spark discussion, interest in upcoming presidential election

By Whitten Maher, contributing writer
Posted on October 29, 2007

“Real World” stars Jose Tapia and Robin Hibbard visited JMU Thursday for a “Rock the Vote” event in the Festival Ballroom.

Tapia, from the Key West season, and Hibbard, from the San Diego season of MTV’s hit reality show, came to get JMU students fired up about voting.

But despite the celebrity of the guests, the event was low key and the room was not packed.

This lent a relaxed atmosphere to the gathering, allowing students to speak freely on both current events and longstanding issues.

“They did a good job getting the crowd involved,” sophomore Meghan Haug said. “I just wish more people came.”

Tapia and Hibbard went through a rundown of the hot topics of the 2008 election, including abortion, same sex marriage and the ubiquitous issue of the Iraq war.

“What are we fighting for?” Tapia said, encouraging a more thoughtful examination of the hot-button issue.

Sarah Weitzel, sophomore and president of the JMU-Harrisonburg chapter of the National Organization for Women, was impressed with Tapia and Hibbard.

“I had no idea [what to expect], but I’m really glad that it was a discussion,” Weitzel said. “I’m glad that we talked about some controversial issues.”

The main goal of the night – and of the program itself – was to spark discussion and an interest in the upcoming election.

“How many of you guys think that Social Security will be around when we need it?” Hibbard said, illustrating how the politics of today will shape students’ lives tomorrow.

“Rock the Vote” also presented students a key statistic on voting. In the 2004 presidential election, only 47 percent of 18-24 year olds voted (up 11 percent from the 2000 election). In light of this, Tapia said, some of the major candidates have visited high profile LA nightclubs, seeking to connect with a bloc of voters with a potentially massive influence.

UPB President senior Allison Beisler was pleased with how the evening went. “I’m glad that a lot of students got to participate and got their voices heard,” Beisler said. “I think it’s really important, being in college, that we share what our thoughts are in making a difference in the community.”

 “I feel like ‘Rock the Vote’ is a good thing,” senior Ryan Katz said. “Because like they said, a lot of our age group doesn’t vote, and that’s a shame.”

Thursday night’s event came months before the primaries, when the campaign cycle kicks into high gear. With ’08 touted as a “billion dollar election,” which means candidates need to raise more then ever to simply stay in the race, the stakes are higher than ever before.

The main focus of “Rock the Vote” is not on the polls and political maneuvering; rather, it is on active citizenship and a concern for the future.

“As cliché as it may sound, we are the future,” Tapia said. “Our demographic is huge, and our voice needs to be heard.”