Keli, you write very well and it's obvious that your views are heartfelt. I know your opinions are based on what you have experienced, of course, and rightly so. In one way, however, I'm disappointed by what you write and in an another, encouraged.

I know that from your viewpoint, things may seem bleak but when I think back to the time I was in high school (oh, here it comes...lol) all the way up until now, I see that real change has taken place. I'm sorry you feel disillusioned because I don't believe you need to feel that way. When I was in high school, we were at war. Older brothers of my friends were dying, one after the other. Adding to that, there was blatant, in-your-face sexism, racism, drug abuse, pollution, crime (Nixon! for Pete's sake!)--plus there was always the threat of nuclear war hanging over our heads. We as young adults felt isolated, powerless and misunderstood, as you evidently, do now. All those things I just mentioned, except for Viet Nam and the Cold War threat still exist, but improvements have been made in a lot of these areas. Those changes don't come easily or quickly, however, and they are hard to discern over a short period of time.

I think perhaps, since you have nothing to compare your current life to (e.g., the past) you lack the perspective that seeing events on a continuum affords--by the way, just as WE did, just as every generation does. Each generation IS isolated and doesn't have the advantage of hindsight--except from second hand sources like me--and I know how tiresome that is! lol

On the brighter side (!), I think it's healthy for younger people to be not satisfied with the status quo. People who don't think things are good enough (like you) are usually the ones who get up off their patooties and find ways to change things for the better. Slow, laborious work, but worth every bit of sacrifice. (Said my piece. Won't preach anymore. Promise.)

I didn't mean to ramble this way, I just