Luke Skywalker
Super Moderator
{vb:raw ozzmodz_postquote}:
Jerry Emmett, 102-year-old honorary chair of the Arizona Democratic delegation, talks to Sruthi Palaniappan, 18-year-old Iowa delegate at Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 27.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Nick Oza, The Arizona Republic)
Jerry Emmett, a<span style="color: Red;">*</span>102-year-old honorary delegate from Arizona, was born before women had the right to vote and has been to four previous conventions. Sruthi Palaniappan, an<span style="color: Red;">*</span>18-years-old delegate from Iowa,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>is one of the youngest delegates at this year's Democratic convention and off<span style="color: Red;">*</span>to Harvard in the fall.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The women<span style="color: Red;">*</span>met in Philadelphia to talk politics and women's rights, and we caught the whole thing on<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Facebook Live.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>They had some pretty inspiring — and entertaining — things to say.
[h=2]<span style="color: Red;">*</span>[/h][h=2]Emmett<span style="color: Red;">*</span>actually<span style="color: Red;">*</span>remembers when women got the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>right to vote:[/h]“I think I was only 6 when the law went into effect that women could vote in Arizona and that was two<span style="color: Red;">*</span>years before the national government came around to giving women the vote ... it’s not a miracle, we’ve worked hard to get to this point and, of course, I’m just really proud that women are getting into the political thing."
[h=2]This Democrat has nothing but love for Republicans:<span style="color: Red;">*</span>[/h]"Choose your own party, but there always should be at least two<span style="color: Red;">*</span>parties, because we don’t always agree on everything and there should be a discussion and a debate.”
[h=2]She sings to her American flag:<span style="color: Red;">*</span>[/h]"I put up the American flag every morning and I sing to it as I put it up, and I’m the only one on my block that does that. I don’t want you kids to forget about early America.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Read those stories, listen to those stories, it’ll make you feel so proud of America.”
Jerry Emmett, a 102-year-old honorary chair of the Arizona Democratic delegation, and delegate Rep. Ruben Gallego of Arizona cheer for Hillary Clinton at roll call during the 2016 Democratic National Convention.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Nick Oza, The Arizona Republic)
[h=2]Palaniappan,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>one of the youngest delegates at this year's convention,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>urges other young people to engage in politics:[/h]“Something that I really want to tell other young people is that it is extremely important to get engaged in the political process.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Voting is a privilege and we are given this amazing opportunity to be able to express our concerns and be able to share why we think something is so important."
[h=2]And to her peers, listen up:[/h]"(Young people)<span style="color: Red;">*</span>should really be reading the news and keeping up to date on current events because a lot of the policies that we are debating today are going to impact our lives,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>so it’s really important that we are part of that political discourse and are able to provide our voice and tell elected officials that we want to be involved and we want to step up to the plate, because if we’re not on the plate then we’re on the menu and we do not want that to happen.”
[h=2]As the first woman presidential candidate, Clinton is<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Palaniappan's inspiration:[/h]“(Having a woman candidate)<span style="color: Red;">*</span>is something that’s very empowering, especially for young women like me who are really interested in the political process. Some day I also hope to run for political office, so it’s an extraordinary thing to have women role models who are already doing what you want to accomplish.”
[h=2]Palaniappan sends an empowering message other Asian Americans:[/h]“As an Asian American I am extremely proud of my background and I hope that I am able to inspire a lot of people with my same ethnicity to know that we also can get engaged in this process and truly have a profound impact."
102-year-old Arizona honorary delegate Jerry Emmett (born before women got the vote) and 18-year-old Iowa delegate Sruthi Palaniappan speak at the Democratic National Convention.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Jasper Colt, USA TODAY NETWORK)
[h=2]Emmett<span style="color: Red;">*</span>tries to set Palaniappan up with her grandson, naturally:[/h]“I think you have the right idea and I’m so proud of you.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>I have a grandson just your age, by the way,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>you should meet him.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>He’s terrific.”
[h=2]More seriously, though, she tells her fellow Americans to continue to help each other:[/h]"Education is the most important thing, but I think wisdom to help your fellow man (is also important). In Prescott, Ariz.,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>we have little children going to bed every night hungry, and we've gotten clubs and things going so we can feed them. We must never forget to do that."
[h=2]Palaniappan has her own definition of success:[/h]“I really think that success is not defined by how much money you can make, it's defined by the number of lives that you're able to impact in a positive matter.”
[h=2]Emmett could't agree more:[/h]"Yes, now you’re talking.”
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