Letter to the Editor

07/03/2008 02:45:14 AM EST by awheatley in Action Network Forum

At the end of this week, we will celebrate our nation’s independence and the legacy of democracy and the American Dream that has followed.  And while traditional forms of honoring this national holiday are great in their own respect, it is important that we look beyond one day of celebration and find ways to “celebrate” and foster the sense of civic pride and American potential that July 4th encapsulates.  The national service expansion movement promoted by organizations such as Serve Next provides our democracy, our country, and its citizens the opportunity to take an active role in its function and health an ongoing tribute of sorts to those first patriots that fought for the independence of this country.    For over a decade now, thousands of Americans have already made a pledge of involvement in communities throughout the country through government sponsored national service organizations such as AmeriCorps.  Both from my own personal experiences whether locally or internationally as well as from hearing others’ volunteer experiences through AmeriCorps or otherwise, there can be no doubt that service to others changes people.  Service makes us more aware of the needs of others, more motivated to make a difference, and this can ultimately lead, I believe, to a more connected, more compassionate community.
    After the Revolutionary War, the United States of America was created as a government and a nation “by and for the people.”  July 4th reminds us of this tradition and this responsibility.  With the expansion of national service endorsed by both presidential candidates, we are at an exciting juncture in American history and daily life.  If national service were to become a larger part of American culture, the possibilities and potential for positive change seems almost limitless.

Congratulations CityYear Graduates!

07/02/2008 10:22:44 PM EST by awheatley in Action Network Forum

    Graduations always seem to exude happiness and excitement.  The San Jose CityYear graduation is no exception.  I sat in a fairly crowded auditorium on Thursday watching the ceremony, not really knowing anyone in the audience or in the graduating “class,” yet caught up in the enthusiasm, the optimism, and most especially, the hope that seemed to fill up the entire room.  There is no doubt that this energy and this drive was contagious to everyone in the room as excitement, tears of joy and sadness, and stories were shared.  Throughout the graduation as I started feeling myself become more and more connected to the great satisfaction and joy these graduates shared in having dedicated a year to serving the San Jose community, I could not help but wonder, what if?
What if this group of committed and driven group of idealists, as they called themselves, was two time, three times, ten times its size?  Imagine the impact on the multiple communities that CityYear San Jose serves.  And what if this expansion included all of CityYear, and even all of AmeriCorps.  The potential and possibility for change seems almost limitless.
Aside from the tangible effects of such an expansion of organizations like CityYear such as more mentored students, more involvement, more education, and an overall stronger community, if the prevalence and strength of the enthusiasm and hope that I experienced at graduation was expanded, again, the possibilities seem limitless.
Celebrations centered on the work and experiences of AmeriCorps volunteers such as this CityYear graduation show the amazing impact that the Corps’ member’s service has not only on the communities they serve, but on the members themselves.  They are empowered, they are driven to create change, and most importantly, they are hopeful for the future.  To me, no other attitude could be better, and again, what if this could be expanded even further?
One CityYear graduate noted how her experience had shown her that she is not alone in her desire to change the world.  If more people across the nation were given this opportunity to give a pledge of involvement such as this group of youth did, I am confident this country would witness amazing changes, an outpouring of goodwill and service, and most importantly, experience and manifest hope for the future.

National Service in the 2008 Presidential Campaign

07/02/2008 10:21:41 PM EST by awheatley in Action Network Forum

When it comes to national service, both presidential candidates affirm the need for a similar idea, for the connection and union of the American people around a common purpose.  Both Obama and McCain speak of the need for us to feel connected to each other once again, to form a more coherent and united “civil society.”  How this can be done then, especially through the expansion national service, becomes a necessary question.  In their campaign efforts, both candidates note the desire and passion for service that exists across the nation, especially in America’s youth.  By expanding national service, an increase in service opportunities could be created to tap into this enthusiasm and willingness to serve.
    However, with the increase in funding and investment in national service organizations, such as AmeriCorps, that both candidates promise I believe that there is an important need to not forget about the very prevalent and important grass roots nature that is inherent to the roots of service movements.  When proposing sweeping increases in governmental support of national service, the next president should make sure that these increases in funding and personnel will effectively trickle down into the diverse communities across the United States.  By providing relevant opportunities to serve the vast array of social issues and/or problems that any one community faces, then I am confident that existing service organizations as well as those that are expanded will be effective in improving our communities.
    In many ways, modern American culture has become very isolationist.  As Senator Obama noted, “in America, each of us seeks our own dreams, but the sum of those dreams must be greater than ourselves.”  Service provides the opportunity to bring people together under a dream greater than ourselves, a dream of a better society, and to create one that is more inclusive.  By reaching out to others in our communities, we become more connected and invested in the overall health and wellbeing of this community, both locally and nationally.  If either candidate upon his election follows through on his individual plans to expand funding and investment in both national service organizations and opportunities, we as a country can be well on our way towards reaffirming a commitment to each other as fellow citizens.  Throughout history there have been many examples of local service begetting national service, as well as the other way around.  My hope is that the next president’s plan for national service encompasses both.

“We are the ones we’ve been waiting for”

07/02/2008 03:02:12 PM EST by awheatley in Action Network Forum

As members of the millennial generation, this quotation applies more so than to any previous generation.  We face a world that is both increasingly connected yet increasingly polarized and are in many ways more equipped to address such issues.  Sociologists note that the millennial generation is better connected, is highly peer oriented, and more resourceful than previous generations.   In light of these characteristics and qualities, “two of the key issues facing our generation are first, the growing economic divide in the United States and secondly, the persisting educational and socio-economic disparities between young people of color and young whites.”   Surely then “we are the ones we’ve been waiting for” when it comes to putting this tools and qualities to work to improve our nation and our globe.
For the millennial generation then, the moral equivalent to war for the 21st century, as first explored by William James in 1906 could very well be national service.  James believed that peace would only be possible through the preservation of some of the elements of army-discipline that characterized a militaristic society, one such element being that of self-forgetfulness as opposed to selfishness or self-seeking behaviors.  This, in many ways is the very foundation of service towards others.  Service requires, at least in my millennial generation mind, that we put aside our own personal needs in order to think about the needs of others, to put compassion for our neighbors over the short term benefit of the self.  This has widely been held to be true in sociological studies about charity in that, members of the Millennial generation are more likely than any other generation to cite the ‘desire to make the world a better place to live’ as a key motivation for their philanthropic giving.”   What this means is that an expansion of national service would be a great way to tap into this desire and motivation to make the world a better place and to promote selflessness.  The policy goals of the national service expansion movement aim to and speak of creating service incentives and opportunities for citizens of any age as well as of creating a culture of national service.    For William James, moving away from a militaristic and warlike society was, “only a question of blowing on the spark until the whole population gets incandescent, and on the ruins of the old morals of military honor, a stable system of morals of civic honor builds itself up.”   Perhaps through these policies, and the enthusiasm and effort of the millennial generation, we can provide this spark that will light, and we just might very well become the ones we have been waiting for.

“A republic, if you can keep it.”

07/02/2008 03:01:11 PM EST by awheatley in Action Network Forum

My third grade teacher once noted to her young class of pliable eight year old minds that the only things you have to do in life are pay taxes and die.  And while this may be a good life lesson for young children in empowerment, this type of passive attitude may be to blame for the recent declines in levels of civic participation and confidence in our democratic system.  It is this passive attitude with respect to our government and political process that has become a problem.  Volunteerism and civic participation may be on the rise in recent years, which is commendable and a testament to human goodwill and kindness, but as Edmund Burke famously said around the time of the formation of our republic, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,” and this same concept applies today.
Civic pride and participation are necessary elements to a functioning and vibrant republic and democracy.  The national service expansion movement promoted by organizations such as Serve Next provides our democracy, our country, and its citizens the opportunity to take an active role in its function and health.  The policy proposals outlined in the Memo to Presidential Candidates written by VoicesforService.org as well as in the article A Time To Serve: The Case For National Service from Time Magazine represent such viable options.  However, if asked to pick a favorite, I settled on multiple favorites for multiple different reasons.  Service, I believe while supported by the government, should not be forced upon us by the government, because, after all, who actually enjoys paying taxes every year?  To this end, a linkage of the public and private sector for the ultimate goal of national service must be undertaken carefully.  The system of bonds and incentives for service at varying ages and education levels are a great start to creating a culture and expectation of national service within daily life.  However, I believe it is important to note that this call to national service should not just be directed at American youth.  Rather it is a universal call for all ages, which is why policy programs for the work force as well as retired seniors should form an important part of the national service movement.  By providing effective incentives, awards, and programs, national service organizations can increase, not only in numbers, as part of the campaign platform of organizations such as Serve Next, but also in scope such as outlined in the policy proposals.  Service corps that address a diverse array of community needs ranging from education to the environment, to health would not only attract more interest from diverse backgrounds but also provide the resources to tackle some of the countries’ most pressing social needs.
Someday in the near future I hope that my third grade teacher doesn’t have to say that the only things that you have to do in life are pay taxes, do national service, and die.  Rather I would hope that service becomes an integral part of American culture.  The policy proposals that provide the incentives and awards to make this a reality I believe will be the most effective.  By creating a national service plan that targets all age groups as well as areas of interest, national service can become not simply an ideal, but a reality; a reality that will allow us to “keep” this republic effective and successful.