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Have you ever wondered how Nimitz Highway got its name, or who “Nimitz” even was?

Having grown up in Texas, I can’t help but be reminded of home and smile every time I drive down Nimitz. Few may realize that the highway’s namesake is an incredible case study in what happens when youth are given a chance to lead, and it is a short lesson that I’d like to share as we consider the kind of leaders we want in this upcoming primary election.

, the highway’s namesake, was born in 1885 in the small, middle-of-nowhere country town of Fredericksburg, Texas. His father died before he was even born, and his mother, Anna, remarried his uncle. As a boy, he would once witness a troop of West Point cadets passing through his town, and he was so inspired by how gentlemanly they looked that he remarked to his family that’s what he wanted to be in life.

At age 15, Nimitz inquired about attending the U.S. military academy at West Point, only to be told that no slots were available, but that he should apply instead for the Navy’s academy at Annapolis. Nimitz’s entire town organized to help him, tutoring him in various subjects to prepare for the entrance exam, which he would pass with flying colors, earning him a place as a Navy cadet.

On a training cruise, Nimitz developed an ear infection that would leave him partially deaf in one ear for the rest of his life. He still graduated 7th in his class of 114 at Annapolis in 1905, learning to read lips so that he could pretend to hear people speaking to him.

The turning point for his life came at age 22 when he was given command of his first ship, the destroyer USS Decatur, which he ran aground, an embarrassing, career-ending offense for any captain, let alone a young ensign.

I share this story because there are very important lessons for how we treat and trust young people in 2024.

But when faced with deciding Nimitz’s future, the Navy board standing in judgment over him decided to give him a chance. Nimitz would later go on to command the largest military force in history from Hawaii during WWII — 2 million uniformed men and women, a fleet of some 5,000 ships and over 20,000 planes — as fleet admiral, and would accept the surrender of the Imperial Japanese military in Tokyo Bay aboard the USS Missouri.

After the war, Nimitz became the Chief of Naval Operations where he presided over the trial of a captain who ran a ship aground. When that captain was reinstated, reporters asked Nimitz if he had ever heard of a captain who ran a ship aground that ever made something of himself. Nimitz simply replied, “You’re looking at one.” Nimitz, who had been given a chance, gave a chance to the next generation when he was in leadership.

I share this story because there are very important lessons for how we treat and trust young people in 2024. The fact of the matter is, today, we don’t trust young people, and we are embittering and frustrating many of them by denying them the opportunity to use their youthful passion, dedication and willingness to serve. 

Nimitz Wouldn’t Stand A Chance Today

Scholars have argued that we will never get another Chester Nimitz-type because today he either wouldn’t be let in the door or . Young people have always had to prove themselves for a seat at the table, but now they’re often denied the opportunity and simply rejected outright.

There are two reasons why we need to encourage and help young people get into both government and elected public service. The first is that we are rapidly developing a generation gap of doctrine from the last century. There is nothing wrong with being an older person, but there is something wrong with insisting on old ways of doing things in an era that requires new perspectives and courageous experimentation not clouded by past assumptions.

The second and more important reason for empowering young people is that we need them to be in government when they’re idealistic and motivated, not when they’re cynical and overly cautious. 

Using the example of Nimitz: He was given help and the benefit of the doubt at every stage of his career. When he became a leader, he repaid and continued the pattern of favor by mentoring young officers, forgiving mistakes and holding the door open for the next generation. 

Inside the heart of every cynic is a burned-out idealist who was denied for too long. I often wonder how many aggressive, non-cooperative elected officials are tempered the way they are because no one showed them grace when they were younger. How many of our current leaders today have committed to a doctrine of “no” because “no” is all they were told when they were younger?

So when you get your mail-in primary ballot sometime this week for the , I’m asking you to do something courageous this year by strongly considering younger candidates who show promise and who are eminently qualified.

The Office of Elections  and as you read about the people running for office, we should all be cautious about defaulting to people who have already been in government for years. This is not about ageism or discriminating against elders. This is about perspective. As the Filipino philosopher Jose Rizal once said, “The glory of saving one’s country is not for him who has contributed to its ruin.”

If even  and allow a younger Democrat to seek the presidency, maybe we need to follow that example and give young people a chance at every level of government. 

I know there are some who treat young people with the contempt of, “What have they done, and who are they to think they can handle this office?” But what we really should be asking is, “What can they do, if we give them a chance?”

I of all people am thankful for the service of the older generations. I hold them in the highest respect for how they looked out for us when we were younger. But this moment in American history needs a fresh perspective, and we should be very concerned about the perils of maintaining a status quo simply for the sake of familiarity in confusing times. 

Vice President Kamala Harris  beautiful that she calls “what can be, unburdened by what has been.” We need the courage to let the sunshine of youthful hope and expectation shine through the brokenness of our government, to give us a new perspective and to give us a “yes, let’s try” instead of a “no, don’t even try” to potential solutions for our people. Let go of the past so we can reach for the future.

I for one would like to see a national and local government that has been refreshed by a generation shift to younger leaders. A change in our perspective would be a rebirth of our country. 

So to the young candidates who are running for various offices all across Hawaii, I say this: In this election, it’s morning in America again; your hopes are our hopes, and your destiny is our destiny.