The youth of America is stupid. There is no sense in ignoring it. Each and every day students at SMU do something they immediately regret, whether it be burning a pot of water or waiting until the last second to start on a 10-page research paper.

So how should the youth take it when the highest lady in the free world refers to this entire group as knuckleheads?

They should take it as an absolute truth.

Recently on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” Michelle Obama made an appearance and talked about young Americans needing to sign up for the Affordable Care Act in order to better protect themselves from themselves.

“A lot of young people think they’re invincible but the truth is young people are knuckleheads,” the first lady said. “They’re the ones who are cooking for the first time and slice their finger open. They’re dancing on the bar stool.”

Sound familiar? It should. No one’s immune to a bit of disorderly conduct at an early age and quite frankly they shouldn’t be.

Being in the age bracket of 18 to 25 inherently means people are going to do dumb things. They’re going to make regrettable decisions, and politicians have a right to at least offer some sort of safety net for them.

No one can really dispute the failings of Obamacare since its passing, but the intent is a good one. Offering some form of affordable health insurance seems like a given in the best country on the face of the planet, so what is the negativity surrounding Michelle Obama’s comments?

Recently on Fox News, several conservative reporters disputed Obama’s message, saying that her late night appearance went too far.

“That was just ridiculous for her to make that statement about all young people when the White House needs young people to enroll in Obamacare in order for it to be successful,” said Ashley Pratte of the Young American’s Foundation. “She tried to be humorous but yet it took a very, very sharp tone at young people, which is saying, ‘Hey, we need to tell you what’s best for you.’”

Michelle Obama’s message may have come off a bit sharp to more sensitive ears, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t on the money.

People in their late-teens and early-20s need direction. They need to be given this sort of option that should be utilized through either the government or through their parents’ health coverage.

The politics of the Obama administration haven’t yielded the greatest results through its first six years in power, but it’s hard to dispute the intent, especially some of the causes the first lady has championed in that time.

Young people aren’t going to get any smarter in terms of daily actions – they aren’t supposed to. So good on Michelle Obama for calling them out when it seems that no one else will.

Costa is a senior majoring in journalism.