By Stephanie Lovern

Have you ever been out with your friends, trying to decide what to do for the night? Someone asks you, "Well, what do you feel like doing?" Your reply: "I really don't care. You guys decide.” You sit back and relax, content to let your buddies take over the decision-making process for the evening's festivities. Until your best friend says, "I know!! Let's go see that new movie over at the multiplex." You smile and nod in agreement-until you remember that your ex now works there, and after the nasty breakup you two had, you really don't want to run into him (or her). "Wait," you say, starting to feel panicky, "I can't go there.” But it’s too late; you're stuck with our plan.

If this has ever happened to you, you know the value of speaking your mind before it's too late. Hopefully nice, forgiving friends won't drag you through what is sure to be the most humiliating experience of your entire life, but, in other situations, like politics, this might not work out as well.

Once people vote on something, there is no going back on it, unless enough people get together to hold a recall (Hello, Arnold!). Otherwise, if you fail to make your opinion heard, you give up your right to have a say. Some people call it the silent majority: whoever doesn't vote essentially votes for whoever ends up winning. Our last presidential race is an example of this phenomenon: If one-quarter of the people who didn't vote in 2000 voted--for anyone--we might be living in a very different America today.

Even if you're not old enough to vote, you are still affected by many of the decisions made every day in Washington and our state capitols. That is why it is so important to get involved and express our opinions. There are many organizations, such as the Youth Congress, which has chapters in many different states that help to give a voice to teenagers. It's our future, after all: we ought to have a say in it.