We've forgotten Lincoln's public-policy words, "I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends."
In the 1960's America's economic and national security was d ancing forward. The nation dared to dream of an Era of Camelot.
Today it is stumbling backward as too many of our corporate and personal understandings of the world come from bloody and profitable to too few military ventures, rather than peaceful service experiences in the world that builds healthy lives, friendships, and business connections. Those who serve and community build aren't lionized like those who down-size middle-class jobs and tax shelter the profits to do it again; rather than invest in America and Americans.
Congressman Charlie Rangel's perennial proposal that everyone should serve in military may be one way to address the trumped-up warring problem, but since most congresspersons have ignored it for decades most fail to push such legislation.
Since reviving the military draft seems unlikely, why not provide our existing bevy of do-good organizations with financial, educational, and home-ownership incentives that allow them to field a million volunteering Americans a year through and by bolstering the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Habitat, Doctors Without Borders, Head Start, Red Cross, International Rescue Committee, Oxfam, Mercy Corps, State Conservation Corps, Heifer, TechnoServe, effective local non-profits, in-need schools, etc.?
Having 21 million serve as PCVs, AmeriCorps volunteers, habitat workers, etc., serving under the banner of the America's World Service Corps (AWSC) over the next generation would do more than build a positive imagine of us in the world. It would also:
Expose an increased number of Americans to addressing complex world as well as domestic needs.
Reduce the growing numbers who are open to terrorism by having them rub shoulders with hard-working, unpretentious Americans.
Erase problems that could fester into requiring the use of our costly and drained military.
Train and use people to combat climate change.
Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
