2-20-07

Dear Senator Sanders,

Although I was a New Englander long enough to spend four years downeast as an undergraduate at Bates College, no, I’m not one of your constituents. The winds swept me westward to California’s capital, my residence now for a number of decades. I’ve contributed money to your campaigns, however, and thus would hope you’d give me a listen.

I’ve followed you, and supported you, because I see you as embracing my own values as few others in positions of clout are inclined to do. Like you, I’m progressive to the teeth, and appreciate that you hear the “still, sad music of humanity,” as Wordsworth phrased it—the poor, the hungry, the homeless, ground down by the current administration in favor of the privileged, who it seems are also always with us. I’ve read The Conscience of a Liberal written by your friend Paul Wellstone shortly before his death, and pay attention when you say, asked in an interview for The Progressive what you hope to do in the Senate, that you would like to emulate Paul Wellstone. So I turn to you in good faith.

As a member of the Senate Budget Committee you will be able to oppose the insane federal budget that has been proposed by President Bush. We know its outright perversity lies with its endless lubrication of the military machine, and as one who has opposed this war unrelentingly as a peace activist, I shall be cheering you on, hoping you will have measurable influence. It’s my hope, however, to persuade you not only to halt the billions allotted for killing, but to redirect them for a cause that is eminently worthy of your attention, but crying for a sponsor.

The Peace Corps, which after JFK’s immortal summons, “Ask what you can do for your country,” swelled to a 15,000+membership, now has a serving base of only around 7000. From the ashes of this all but forgotten idealism rises the phoenix of the dream and mission of Dwayne Hunn, Director of the American World Service Corps (www.worldservicecorps): AWSC Congressional Proposals to build a volunteer service corps of one million can-do Americans. These proposals would engage already existing core organizations such as Peace Corps, Habitat for Humanity, Doctors Without Borders, etc., asking not simply what we can do for our country, but what we can do for the world.

In the year 2000, Dwayne Hunn began revisiting haunts he had served as a young man in the Peace Corps, and worked on Habitat for Humanity projects in Sri Lanka, Fiji and Georgia, where Jimmy Carter was swinging his hammer with a lot of other sweaty Americans erasing poverty housing. Dwayne has regaled groups in the vicinity of Sacramento with many uplifting stories. The tales he tells run to a gladdening close: whole villages of folks who come to view Americans not as an army of occupation and exploitation, but rather as ministering angels.

Imagine military service becoming only one among many ways our young, baby boomers and some retirees might serve their country. Think of quelling terrorism through friendly acts instead of creating terrorists by our violence. Imagine legions going forth to assist with the next disaster such as Katrina, a tsunami, or an African genocide. Imagine standing tall again as Americans!

I have volunteered to assist Dwayne, a 70-hour-a-week dynamo, in seeking underwriting for this project, convinced that it is absolutely a win-win enterprise. However, unless we attain the endorsement of someone such as yourself placed in a position of influence, all the good I’ve described above won’t happen. Again and again our overtures are met with a deaf ear, and we are left incredulous. What I’ve seen in you over the years, Senator Sanders, encourages me to believe that you will be the exception.

Yours for a re-committed America,

Dr. Tom King

916-7282391

“If I had a hammer, I’d hammer in the morning...” runs the paean to freedom Peter, Paul and Mary sang back in the ‘60’s. Well, it seems that Jimmy Carter found his hammer. Dwayne Hunn attests to the fact. In the year 2000 Dwayne revisited haunts he had served as a young man in the Peace Corps and worked on Habitat for Humanity projects in Sri Lanka, Fiji and Georgia, where Jimmy was swinging his hammer with a lot of other sweaty Americans erasing poverty housing.

Dwayne, the Executive Director of People’s Lobby and of the American World Service Corps, has regaled groups such as Freedom From War and the Peace Pyramid in the Sacramento vicinity with many uplifting stories. The tales he tells run to a gladdening close: whole villages of folks who come to view Americans not as an army of occupation and exploitation, but rather as ministering angels.

Unfortunately the arms of U.S. world service are feebly staffed at this time. The Peace Corps, for instance, while still in operation, has a serving base of only around 7000, compared to 15,000+ a few years after Kennedy and his vision were taken from us. History leaves us JFK’s immortal summons, Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country... From the ashes of this all but forgotten idealism rises the phoenix of Dwayne Hunn’s dream and mission: American World Service Corps Congressional Proposals to build a volunteer service corps of one million can-do Americans. These proposals would engage already existing core organizations such as Peace Corps, Habitat for Humanity, AmeriCorps, Headstart, Doctors Without Borders, Red Cross, International Rescue Committee, Oxfam, etc., asking not simply what we can do for our country, but what we can do for the world.

You’re invited to dream along with Dwayne Hunn... Think of quelling terrorism through our friendly acts instead of creating terrorists by our violence. Imagine legions of the peaceful and productive going forth to assist with the next disaster such as Katrina, a tsunami, or an African genocide. Imagine standing tall again as Americans!

What’s in it for me? comes the inevitable rejoinder. Sad to say, we live in times when the Jeffersonian dream sometimes seems to have dwindled to a consumer’s paradise of materialism and greed. Perhaps only imagination and education can save us: the imagination that comes from educating ourselves in the classroom of world needs. Our payback then comes from the blessings we feel from having helped those less fortunate than ourselves.

But you need not sign up for far-flung assignments around the globe to help. Visit www.worldservicecorps.us, follow the link to read the text of the citizen-initiated WSC proposed bills, and then sign the on-line petition to encourage Congressional co-sponsors to introduce and pass them.

Even with that signature you’ll feel the tonic in your blood of world service.