If America calls, will you answer?

[Stinky The Clown]

Maybe she needs the streets cleaned. Will you answer he call for help?

Maybe she needs some city kids given supervised trips to the country and a day of play at lake. Will you answer that call?

Maybe there'll be another 9/11-like event, but from a country's operatives. Will you answer America's call?

Maybe there are elderly people who need someone to visit them and bring them meals and no service exists or is funded properly to do the job. Will you answer that call?

Or will you have 'other priorities'?

What if the call went out from your federal government to join in a national day of service to local communities? Will you be there?

What if there were a natural disaster and the call went out for people to man the support ranks so the first responders would have a place to return for a bit of respite? Maybe the New Madrid fault and Memphis and St Louis were dreadfuly affected. Would you be there?

Maybe these calls for service go beyond a day's work. And maybe there's pay involved. Perhaps operating suicide hot line. Or working with at-risk kids fresh out of rehab and the call goes out for a year of work, a year that will pay you a wage but only if you're qualified for the job. And let's say you are. Will you be there or will your anal cysts cause you to sit on the couch?

Do you think John Kennedy was a nut when he said "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country."

I don't know about you, but I was inspired by that.

[Mythsaje]

1. I already go out to help people in my community

that need it. Just over a week ago I went out to help someone clear out her basement after it had been flooded. I was one of about five people that showed up.

Of course, for most people their "other priorities" involve jobs. As I'm currently not working a day-job, I have time to do things like this.

[raysr]

2. Different times re: JFK n/t

[Psephos]

4. Now more than ever re: JFK n/t

[DemBones DemBones]

15. Amen to that. nt

[Union Thug]

3. I'm going to take a risk here and answer honestly.

I spent my entire fucking life playing by the rules. I was the nice guy, quick to help, always positive and I believed the american dream hype.

But, now 42 years old, I've found that my country hasn't been there to help me. I work my ass off with little to show, except increased instability which keeps me clinging to, and being thankful for, a job that I hate. I hate every second that I am there. I hate every moment that I spend thinking about it - from the time I get up in the morning until the time I go to sleep. I make decent money, but the money isn't what keeps me showing up - it's the medical and dental insurance. If this country gave a shit about it's citizens, it would provide healthcare to it's people. This would stabilize lives and, at least in my case, allow me the freedom to explore the things that I am passionate about.

Instead of that, our tax dollars are used to butcher men, women and children in Iraq, for the express purpose of enriching a few. Instead of ensuring that people like myself can pursue higher education, we build bombs and stealth fighters and bombers. We get a 'representative' government made up primarily of the rich, our local public parks are being 'privatized' so that my kids can no longer play without having to pay fees to get in and then get bombarded by propagandists lining the parks with their corporate fast food peddlers. Habeus corpus is out the window. Our privacy rights are gleefully violated.

Wow, and as an atheist, I have a freedom to choose a religion of my choice. Big fucking deal. When your child is sick, you wish you had a right to healthcare, not freedom to believe in some fantasy world bullshit from the goddamned dark ages.

So if anyone asks me what I can do for my country, I'll ask what my country has done for me lately.

I know I'll be flamed for posting this, so go ahead. I honestly don't care anymore.

[gumby]

7. No flame here.

It's always a continuous jolt when every day I realize that the propaganda doesn't jibe with my reality.

The John Wayne celluloid must be ripped off the reel if this country is going to get real. But, there are many powerful groups protecting the "Hollywood Agenda."

[brokensymmetry]

9. Exactly. Add in the H1Bs + outsourcing too.

I go out, get the education, get the degrees...and
when I'm ready to get the payoff...the jobs are sent
elsewhere. Or given to someone else. All by national
policy, of course.

Health insurance? I spend all too much time
scrambling and conniving to get coverage.

And what happens next? Why, my Beloved Rulers (tm)
want to steal my Social Security.

No, when the call goes out, I will not be there.

The country likes foreign workers so much - go to
them. Get them to help. Yes, I'm bitter. Angry
too. And, there are lots of people just like me.

Oh...by the way...in case you're tempted to say
"tell us how you really feel"...I'm not about to. That
would go way beyond board rules.

[lligrd]

12. Playing By The Rules

never guarantees a win. That is why moral societies must have guarantees of free medical care and education and adequate housing and food for all.

[pnwmom]

14. Welcome to DU, Illigrd!

[MH1]

24. Exactly.

Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[pnwmom]

13. Thanks for the reality check, Union Thug.

[Lars39]

19. No flames from me.

This atheist is right there with you on this. We went bankrupt due to medical bills.
I have zero patience with anybody who thinks it can't happen to them because they live in their little bubble of 'good' insurance.

[Sparkly]

20. Boo-Freakin'-Hoo.

I'm sorry. I do appreciate your honesty. But the fact that you have a well-paying job that provides health insurance makes you better off than a lot of people in this country, let alone around the world.

The OP was about serving other people. How is the cause of free healthcare advanced by "What has my country done for ME lately?" You say, "When your child is sick, you wish you had a right to healthcare." But you have healthcare. What about when people's kids are sick who do not have it?

How does your stance improve the government and corporatist issues you describe?

"What has your country done for you lately?" Do you mean your government, or your country's people? Do you see those as separate things?

It ain't perfect, but there are things like public schools, parks, libraries, and roads; there are police officers, firefighters, social workers, national defense; there is SOME form of representative government, privacy, safety, democracy, legal system; heck, there's running water and food we can buy at grocery stores, which is more than much of the world can say.

Your post makes me more convinced the notion of mandatory public service is a good one, if only for the purpose of social connection.

Sorry if this sounds harsh or "flaming," but then again, you "honestly don't care anymore." I believe you, and THAT I find sad.

[Union Thug]

22. I'm glad you responded this way.

Because it gives me a chance to clarify some poorly constructed ideas.

Yes, I did you 'me' which was meant only to personalize it. If you don't think I care about others' children, you would be dead wrong. All of us that work for a living should be in the fight together. I spent ten years providing direct services to at risk kids. You are wrong to assume that my statements imply some narcissistic motive, but I understand how you could have got that impression.

How does my stance improve things. As written, it only helps illuminate the issues. This is not where it stops for me. I contribute to organizations that are working towards establishing social justice and do what I can to reestablish the power of labor in the face of seemingly insurmountable corporate power. What causes me despair is that so few of us care about the fight anymore that it feels like there is no hope in overcoming the struggle that stands before us. Many of our gains have been lost over the past 30 years and it looking unlikely that we'll ever see those basic rights restored to us. The corporate propagandists have turned this country in Romero's Land of the Dead.

The 'government' and the 'people' should, in my opinion, be one and the same. However, our government is populated, by and large, by those who do not share the interests of working people. They do not, despite the rhetoric, understand the problems we face every day, nor do I think they really care that much.

Your "aint perfect but" list is a good one and illustrates some of what I've been saying. Public schools are underfunded, libraries are being closed, there are forces at work that would like to privatize water. The national defense has become a tool of the wealthy to defend their interests, and the push for privatized mercenaries demonstrates that our government cares little about keeping such things under the careful watch of the public.

Until the rich are going without medical coverage or until their kids are coming home in body bags, or until they have to put off college because they have obligations to family members that must be met, no one had better tell me to 'ask what I can do for my country' because I'll flip them the one-finger salute and be on my way.

[stonecoldsober]

5. Yes=4, No=5

[gumby]

6. Katrina *Proved* that The People will stand up and step up.

But there is only so much 'we' can do without an infrastructure. A major ideological drive of the neo-cons has been to destroy any governmental infrastructure and replace it with a rag-tag right-wing faith-based pay-to-play system.

Where is the 'common' outreach? Where is the call to duty? Where are the handbills and the public service announcements telling citizens about the needs of their communities and how they can answer them? Were is Our Government informing us about needs and how we can help???

Everything is on a do-it-yourself basis.

Kennedy created the Peace Corps. He not only asked what we could do, he showed us a way.

Reagan showed the New Way; selfishness, hatefulness, war, destruction, fundamentalism, racism, sexism and homophobia...to name a few.

The People are Not helpless, but it does help to have a genuine leader to provide easily accessible outlets to personal philanthropy and to direct personal participation to address the needs of our country and the world.

(I think the net-roots are doing this service now. Democracy in action. Too bad we don't have many politicans who mirror them.)

[Stinky The Clown]

16. I think you've hit at least one of the nails smack on its head

Kennedy set a standard for service and encouraged it. Reagan as his followers and follow-ons made it about 'Me and Mine/Fuck you and yours'. For all their glowing rhetoric, they gutted our society of not only our material wealth but our social wealth, all for the haves could have more. The result is the hate and apathy we find today.

[EST]

8. If my country calls, I will answer.

If the criminal cabal calls, I ain't here.

[lligrd]

11. Exactly

This ain't the Country I love. Hopefully it will be again someday.

[lligrd]

10. Think Most Of Us Have Been Doing It

Fighting in the only way we know how, but definitely fighting. And it seems to be paying off!

[baldguy]

17. Many people would volunteer to help feed the hungry, clothe the naked and shelter the homeless.

BushCo would give the a fritz hat & an M16, then send them to Iraq.

[KennedyGuy]

18. I'll gladly be there..

Member of the Reserves here.

[williesgirl]

21. We try to help, but locating a family is tough. We stopped buying Xmas presents

for our extended family 5 yrs ago, and opted instead to help a family with toys & clothes for the kids, a gift for the parents from the kids, and all the food/fixings for their holiday meal. You wouldn't believe the difficulty we have each year finding how to help. We've contacted each of our churches, who never even bother to call us back. We found an organization in one of our cities one year, but it took them until 3 days before Xmas to get us the details (sizes, wish lists etc, # of family members).

This year we're trying to go thru one of our cities Welfare depts. We want to respect the family's privacy and ours. We don't need last names, just ages, sex, etc and a place to drop these wrapped gifts/food off on Xmas Eve day. We usually gather about $500 to spend. Even the little kids open up their piggy banks for this project, which will teach them young to help others. None of us has much, but we think this is a much better way to celebrate Xmas than our old way of buying for everyone even though we don't have it.

During the year, each of us has elder neighbors we help on a daily basis. Grocery shopping or meeting them when they return from shopping to bring in the bags and put away. We shovel snow, rake leaves, cut yards, etc based on the season.

I also babysit for free for folks who need a break and some time away from the kids together and can't afford to pay someone.

These are all little things, but hopefully lets others know someone cares.

[LWolf]

23. It depends on what the call is, and whether I have any life left

to address it with.

I "serve" in many different ways; all my own choice, not someone else's mandate. I do it because I'm called to. Not by my country, but by my conscience.

One call I answered was to become a teacher. It's a calling. I'm supposed to accept that I'll never be paid a salary equal to the education and experience put in, because it's a public service. Fine. That's what I wanted to do. It's a noble calling, imo.

Of course, the nation responds with continual teacher-bashing, and with NCLB. I'm not with JFK on this one. I don't have to ask what I can do for my country; I've already done, I'm doing, and will continue to do. I get to decide what I'm willing to do, or not. I'm not asking what my country can do for me; I'm TELLING:

*Universal preschool through college/trade school, with every aspect fully funded, including construction, furniture, maintenance, materials, salaries, class-size, support staff, before and after school tutoring, and whatever else might be necessary to ensure that every American has ample opportunity to succeed. Otherwise, STFU about the terrible state of American Education. I don't need kudos, but I'll be damned if I'll be bashed for serving. And yes, paid or not, it is a service. I paid a great deal of money, and many years of sacrificed time, to earn the credential. My family has spent 2 decades sacrificing family time so that I could spend the hours necessary to do my best for those students; 2 - 4 hours daily beyond the paid contract, not counting weekends and time spent on "vacation." If the nation's teachers stuck to their contracts, public schools would collapse.

*Get rid of NCLB

*Get rid of Patriot Act 1 & 2, and any other legislation that erodes my civil liberties.

*Universal, single-payer, not-for profit health care

*Hand-counted paper ballots for every election

*A fairness doctrine

*Abolishing corporate personhood and influence in government.

I'll continue serving in those areas I feel called to, outside of my contractual day. I don't need any mandates to serve my community. Will my "country," her "leaders," step up and serve at my call? If not, why the hell should I? That's the big question.