Recently, I have seen a major flaw in society.

I have seen adults looking down at millennials for speaking out on Facebook. Obviously I am not referring to all adults, but some adults who underestimate us and think that we are too naive to have opinions. To them, we are seen as “ignorant and uneducated,” when in fact, we are the most dynamic, open minded, critical thinkers out there.

My friend recently got into this political debate with a man on Facebook who not only attacked her, but her mother too.

Here is how it went:

The debate started off respectfully, but as tensions started to rise, true colors started to show. This man said, “You shouldn’t be on Facebook engaging in political posts. You have a lot to learn still. You should probably be in bed sweetie.”

He should be motivating and encouraging her to speak out about her beliefs, not attacking her because she has opinions. To that, my friend responded, “Excuse me, but I attend the most politically active university in the nation. I am well educated and a well versed woman of my time. Do not belittle me. Do not speak to me as if I am less than you. I am being a civil human being.”

Another example of this is when another friend of mine got into a debate with her older family member about animal rights.

After many comments, he tried to end the argument by saying “live with nature’s laws.” Basically, he is telling her to give up on trying to make a difference. He doesn't believe in her and her ability to change the world and that is sad.

Now who is the one who is ignorant and uneducated. (Hint: it’s not us millennials!) He is trying to justify present day actions with things that happened in hundreds of years ago, and that is a problem that a lot of older people have when trying to refute claims made by college educated, informed millennials.

Here is my message to them: We are not stuck in the past because we have grown to adapt. We are not stuck in our traditional ways because our minds to change with the world around us. There have been many scenarios of people putting us down for standing up for what we think is important and that is a problem that needs to change. What those people who argue with us on social media fail to realize is that they are the ones who are ignorant. They are the ones who are stuck in the past. They are the ones cannot wrap their heads around the fact that times are changing.

Just because we are younger, doesn’t mean we are dumber. No one is too young to make a difference. Do not underestimate us because we are the future and this is our America.