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The U. S. Department of Labor statistics estimates that 63.8 million Americans volunteered an average of 52 hours with different volunteer organizations in 2003. Now, despite the claim being made by some politicians that Americans are even more willing to devote time to public service, there are several proposed plans for improving the number of volunteers and enlisters. In an article entitled “A New Start for National Service," United States senators John McCain and Evan Bayh argue for new legislature that would build upon existing programs, the Corporation for National Service and AmeriCorps, while increasing perks for troops. David Gergen’s, “A Time to Heed the Call" insists that youths simply need to receive a clear-cut call to action. Others like Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld are seemingly content with the present state of national service. While these plans to strengthen border patrol, aid the elderly and compensate soldiers are both noble and needed, they do not adequately address the reason that there has not been a resurgence of national service and volunteerism. If Americans were truly “eager" to serve, there would be an abundance of help instead of a shortage, and this paper along with its references would be obsolete. In “The Moral Equivalent of War," William James challenges “the “gilded youth" to “serve the nation". However, it is uncertain that today’s youths are willing to answer the call. The most commonly accepted definition of volunteering is to perform a public service willingly without compensation, while national service in America can be taken to mean optional service to the military. Although volunteering and national service are not identical activities, they share social and moral ideals based on patriotism and self-sacrifice for the greater good. As former U.S. Ambassador, Bruce Chapman, states, “when coercion or inducements are provided, as in the various national service schemes, the spirit of service is to that degree corrupt". The proposed solutions which involve offering new incentives and pressure will only further undermine the already waning spirit of public service and the wholeheartedness of national service. So, in order to combat the shortage of both in the U.S., the goal should be to inspire the throngs of disinterested, disappointed and disenfranchised youth.
The individuals who favor a dramatic expansion of the national service program have expressed an interest to see things done, but not necessarily to do them. That duty would be left to the multitude of young adults who seem -lets face it- uninterested in devoting time to public service unless it is a requirement for some educational or social club. Financial rewards and educational incentives are being considered to make servicing more appealing, but these plans deviate from the traditional spirit of service. The conventional ideal associated with volunteering and enlisting in the military is to provide a needed service to one’s country. While plans to compensate people for service may lure in more volunteers and soldiers, they do nothing to revive interest beyond financial motivation. While it is easy for older generations to dismiss the problem as a consequence of I-Pods and video games, the truth of the matter is that the blaring inconsistencies and insecurities of the modern world have a detrimental psychological and social effect on citizens. Much of this essay will center on Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, of which belonging and safety are key factors. Without them, the higher functions of status and actualization, which inspire feelings of nationalism and selflessness, can not be achieved. In a society where the younger generation of adults pay money for social security, but may be unable to draw it as they grow old, it is understandable that the public is unwilling to invest more of themselves. Eric B Gorham states in National Service, Political Socialization, and Citizenship that young adults must “develop themselves morally, refuse drug dependency, crime, idleness and teenage pregnancy" in order to “develop a stronger sense of citizenship…and civic competence". Yet, it is then appropriate to ask whether or not youth can afford the luxury of service to new programs when the programs designed to help them avoid the previously mentioned pitfalls are also, evidently, failing. Naturally, this political and social climate does not inspire confidence and interest, although I will agree that it should inspire concern. The call to youth must acknowledge these circumstances and encourage them to become agents of change. Until programs for public and national service are modified to be more progressive, secure, and stimulating, the numbers of volunteers and soldiers will continue to be disappointing.
Even more disappointing is the number of public figures who have recently been involved in corruption and scandal. These role-models are looked to for inspiration to aspire to public and national service. Thier betrayal leads to doubt, disgust, and the tendency to “shun politics and public affairs" (Gergen). Moreover, elected officials fail to keep promises made during campaigns, the war efforts aren’t going as well as projected, and now it appears the American people were mislead into war. Not to mention the president’s other questionable indiscretions pre and post incumbency and those of the president before him. These events further undermined the sense of security and belonging Americans feel. It is no wonder that “presidential voting among 18-29-year-olds has fallen over the past three decades". It is, apparently, for these ideals and values that we would as citizens to risk their lives and livelihood in service. It is true that Americans have traditionally answered the call when their country was in need, but that for which they were fighting has previously been made quite clear and constructive. At present, young adults are being asked to contribute to an American ideal that simply isn’t real for them. As a result, reenlistment and enlistment are the lowest they have been and the United States is in desperate need of volunteers. Many citizens realize that “public service is a virtue" (McCain), but they also recognize that virtue is rare. The state of our union must be shown to merit confidence and pride, otherwise, no matter how much money is thrown at the problem, Americans will shy from community and national service.
The final reality which must be addressed if any program to rehabilitate public service in the U.S. is to work is that many of the young adults targeted for service under recently proposed legislature, are disenfranchised and, so, fed up with the current system of politics and citizenship. It is not appropriate to “dismiss voluntary service as patriotism on the cheap" (Gergen 190), because it can actually be a distraction from the pursuit of more basic needs in life. Based on fundamental principles of psychology and sociology, it is reasonable to assume that the previously analyzed conditions in America have given rise to people with out interest or belief in performing civic duties. As if these issues were not enough to warrant an all out PR campaign to restore the image of volunteering and national service, it is also relevant that the basic needs of the people are not being met. Maslow’s theory of human motivation suggests that biological needs are necessary precursors to loftier endeavors like civil service. While crime increases, home ownership decreases, and wages remain the same, people are unable commit to community service because they can not meet basic needs such as food, housing and education. The results of Volunteering in the United States, 2003 support this conclusion, indicating that higher education increases the rate volunteerism “…while the rates for those whose education had not gone beyond high school graduation remained about the same". Furthermore, individuals with secure employment volunteer more than those who are unemployed. Yet, ironically, a disproportionate number of minority and low-income individuals are engaged in national service in order to meet these very needs, despite Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s claim that he “(does) not know that that’s historically correct" or “that it’s correct today". It is certain that “if those who were calling for war knew their children were more likely to be required to serve" (Rhem ), they would be more cautious with the lives of U.S. soldiers. It is relevant to simply research how many members of congress have children in Iraq. This is a violation of rights to equality under citizenship in America, and a major factor in the disenfranchisement of our youth.
The public has become increasingly more aware that it is being denied basic rights when its fundamental needs are not being met. Coupled with the imbalanced expectation to serve, disheartening levels of corruption and the interest more lucrative and interesting activities, many have been led to ask why they should serve. This is a justifiable question and it deserves an answer. If the levels of hypocrisy and dishonesty, which are evident but as of yet overlooked, continue to dominate the social and political culture of America, then the youth are likely to continue to reject service. What's more, these young people must be convinced that they must make the difference for the future of their community and nation, not bribed and coerced to contribute to what it has become. Unless the spirit of public and national service is preserved, youth will continue to be disinterested, disappointed, and disenfranchised.
Reference:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor 2003 Volunteering in the United States, 2003. In Behrens, L., Rosen, L., & Beedles, B., 2005 (pp. 191-198). A sequence for academic writing (2nd ed.). New York: Pearson and Longman. Chapman, B. (1990). Politics and National Service: Attacks on the Volunteer factor. In Behrens, L., Rosen, L., & Beedles, B., 2005 (pp. 211-212). A sequence for academic writing (2nd ed.). New York: Pearson and Longman.
Gergen, D. (2001, December), A Time to Heed the Call In Behrens, L., Rosen, L., & Beedles, B., 2005 (pp. 189-190). A sequence for academic writing (2nd ed.). New York: Pearson and Longman.
Gorham, E. (1992). National Service, Political Socialization, and Citizenship. In Behrens, L., Rosen, L., & Beedles, B., 2005 (pp. 199-201). A sequence for academic writing (2nd ed.). New York: Pearson and Longman.
James, W. (1910). The Moral Equivalent of War. In Behrens, L., Rosen, L., & Beedles, B., 2005 (pp. 161-164). A sequence for academic writing (2nd ed.). New York: Pearson and Longman.
McCain, J. & Bayh, E. (2001) A New Start for National Service. In Behrens, L., Rosen, L., & Beedles, B., 2005 (pp. 188-189). A sequence for academic writing (2nd ed.). New York: Pearson and Longman.
Rhem, Kathleen. (2003) Rumsfeld: No Need for Draft; ‘Disadvantages Notable’. In Behrens, L., Rosen, L., & Beedles, B., 2005 (pp. ). A sequence for academic writing (2nd ed.). New York: Pearson and Longman. |
