I'm an alumnus of Boys State.
The 1982 American Legion Mountaineer Boys State, to be precise, held each summer at Jackson's Mill, in Lewis County, West Virginia. The week-long camp where highs school juniors -- identified as leaders in our respective schools and communities -- were sent each summer to learn about government.
(And, how to socialize with hundreds of other boys we'd never met until we were assigned randomly to bunk and shower with them.)
At my age, 1982 is a bit of a blur. I recall spending a lot of my experience marching. We who lived in Marion Cabin were more than slightly rebellious; we snuck out at night to hoist jock straps up the flagpole so they'd be saluted beside Old Glory each morning, and generally believed most house rules were simply suggestions. Our misbehavior resulted resulted in pre-dawn marching designed to break our will.
It didn't.
Many of my 39-year-old memories were awakened while watching Boys State, the documentary in which Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine chronicle the experiences of 1,000 17-year-olds as they formed a representative government at the 2018 Texas Boys State. I was reminded that in 1982 my 17-year old self discovered the world is more complicated than I previously thought, and recognized that it was the loudest among us who usually won the elections. Most of the boys central to Boys State are brighter and more aware than I was at their age. Some are gifted with true insight; others only think they are.
This documentary shows that -- like the real USA legislative process -- loud continues to win elections, but insight and authenticity wins respect.
Remember the name Steven Garza. In a decade he will be passing real legislation for all of us.
We can only hope.
