The end of the generation gap
: Note this poll on MTV:
Among people voting in MTVNews.com’s polls, 60 percent either strongly support or somewhat support the action, while 37 percent are either strongly opposed or somewhat opposed to the war.
Now note this poll about the American population in general:
About two-thirds of Americans approve of President Bush’s handling of the situation in Iraq and think he did enough diplomatically before invading, according to a new poll released Friday.
The ABC-Washington Post poll found the president’s job approval rating at 67 percent, up from pre-war polls that showed his approval level ranging from the mid 50s to about 60 percent….
Overall support for the war is 72 percent.
If you have the impression that the anti-war movement is primarily the young, you’re wrong. The youth of America are in sync with the rest of America. This isn’t like Vietnam.
Granted, the end of the draft could have something to do with that.
But I also think that — thanks to pop culture — the generation gap has collapsed.
The Rolling Stones can be hot still, two or three generations after they started. Eminem can have fans forty years older than he is. And kids of all ages love American Idol.
Pop culture bridged the generations long ago.
Now the war is not splitting them apart.
