Today marks the 40th anniversary of Robert F. Kennedy's visit to Ball State University.
Indiana's primary caused the state to become a battleground, similar to what we're seeing now.
Then-presidential-hopeful Kennedy spoke to a crowd of more than 12,000, according to the day's reports, packed into Irving Gym.
Kennedy spoke about improving the standard of living in the United States and abroad; he said he wanted those with resources to help those without, and he talked about the role of youth in the development of the world and creation of jobs, according to Indianahistory.org.
Students at Ball State had the opportunity to witness history in the making.
This year, we have been given the same opportunity.
It seems fitting that this election marks the 40-year anniversary of Kennedy's visit to campus.
In Kennedy's time, unemployment was at a 15-year low, the Civil Rights movement reached a climax with Martin Luther King's assassination and President Lyndon B. Johnson had escalated a war that U.S. citizens didn't want, in addition to pouring money into the war.
Now, we find our country in the Iraq war, the dollar's value is decreasing and we've never had a least-liked president.
In the political climate of Kennedy's era, his assassination left the field of candidates open for President Richard Nixon to capture the spotlight.
Nixon's victory and presidency was a mixed bag of good and bad.
Considering how comparable these two periods of time seem to be, perhaps it's time we try to learn from history.
By looking back and seeing chains of events, we should try to prevent another Nixon-esque period.
The decisions of that election shaped U.S. history forever, and the decisions of this one will do the same.
We need to educate ourselves.
We need to participate in the democratic process.
We need to take advantage of the opportunities history is offering us by bringing presidential hopefuls to Ball State.
If we let these opportunities pass us by, if we let this country be led by another Nixon.
As the young voters of America, we need to show we care.
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