Posted by patricks54 on May 8, 2007
Check out this from the Denver Post:
Citizenship today seems to carry endless rights and entitlements and almost no obligations. For many, government employment is simply a secure job, not a higher calling to serve the public good. AmeriCorps has only about 75,000 volunteers a year, including 1,700 in City Year, and the Peace Corps fewer than 8,000. A number of private groups have tried to fill the gap, but they have relatively few people in public service. The successful Teach for America program will have close to 5,000 corps members this fall, but this only scratches the surface in a nation of 3 million K-12 teachers.
With a new Democratic Congress and President Bush having called for increased public service, saying that “America needs citizens to extend the compassion of our country,” this seems an opportune moment to raise the issue. Amid the flurry of activity in the 110th Congress, national service has yet to gain the prominence it deserves.
