Darshan Blog

In Ian Shapira’s article in the Washington Post, he strongly states that Chelsea Clinton is not a representatives of her generation. Mostly because she isn’t putting all her dirty laundry out for the press to go through and for not being totally accessible for both the fans of a Clinton Presidency, and against. Is that all our generation represents to Mr Shapira? Are we just the MySpace generation who use the internet to find dates and to put up that picture of us partying with our friends? Are we just the generation of people dying to be on the latest reality show?

I think those who seem to have no privacy are the minority. I think most people in my generation (those of the age 25-30) are educated, socially minded citizens. We are the ones who set up bake sales to save the music program at our high school and did the community service before it was required before high school graduation. I think Chelsea perfectly represents this part of the generation who work hard for themselves so they can turn around and help their community.

I have always been impressed by Chelsea. I always empathized with her during the first Clinton Election (remember the one in 1992?). We were about the same age and going through the early 90’s with bad teeth and a bad haircut. But there she was by her parents side always smiling and behaving well in the lime light (remember Rudy Giuliani’s son in the 1994 inauguration?). I knew I wouldn’t want anyone to see my 8th grade graduation picture, where I had mall bangs and a big Laura Ashley dress, but there is Chelsea at the inaugural looking so proud of her father forever immortalized in press pictures.

She then disappeared for a long time suddenly coming back with a fabulous hair cut, no braces and announcing she was off to Stanford as her college of choice. Once again my peers looked at her as a role model. I am sure it doesn’t hurt in her college essay she could reference trips oversees as a representative of her father… the president.

By college graduation Chelsea had matured into a well spoken, educated, and tough as nails young woman. Since being born Chelsea has had to not only choose her words wisely, but choose when she would make a public appearance. Everything was read into when she appeared and which parent she stood next to.

My generation has grown up with spin. We know how to sense it and we know who to believe before they even start speaking. Chelsea has had to be both private citizen and public figure at the same time and now as she has chosen to speak for her mother on many college campuses that balance is being tested. Maybe she should have made that decision earlier on how open to be, but it seems she is happy with the decision she has made. Her words are criticized as spin. I can’t imagine how one should “spin” their accolades for their mother. She is a spokeswoman for her mother as HER DAUGHTER, not as another elected official. So why should Mr. Shapira give her bad marks for struggling still with this dual citizenship? How many other people under the age of 30 have had to be questioned by a stranger on the strength of their parents marriage publicly?

Whatever happens with the Democratic Party and the Presidential election in unknown. What I can tell is that Chelsea will learn a lot from this experience and will use it to propel her to the next level in her life and career. I will keep checking the news for what she is doing throughout her life to be not only motivated, but proud of one of my peers. Maybe it is time for another Clinton in the White House, one who has seen it from all sides. How about Chelsea in 2016?

Author: Sonya Gavankar

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