Why a ‘Warm, productive, civilian draft’ is needed..

        Dwayne Hunn

 

 

Generations ago America’s landscape was in turmoil.  To quell the unrest, America tapped its best asset, its peoples’ ingenuity and work ethic.  That program helped build not only the nation but the people who served.

 

Only 37 days passed from FDR’s inaugural until the first enrollee entered the 1933 Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which planted over 32 billion trees, built 97,000 miles of fire road, stopped environmental degradation and erosion, helped Americans recover from hurricanes and floods, etc. By 1935, 500,000 CCC enrollees were pulling America out of a depression.

 

Millions of hurting Americans sought peaceful service in the CCC.  World War II and its ensuing budgetary and political pressures shrunk and dismantled the CCC.

 

Our military draft then continued service to country, and saved the world from Fascism.  Under a disciplined military roof, where getting the job done saving the world meant more than your color or last name, costly racial and ethnic animosities started being cleansed.  Our military draft ended, after our government lied us into a wasteful Vietnam War.

 

Both methods of service – the peaceful CCC and military draft – helped save and improve America’s economy, society, and knowledge.

 

Today, America sees its economic, socio-political, and knowledge needs as global.  Globally, that landscape is in dangerous turmoil, just as it was generations ago.  Today, however, the danger stems from people and nations who increasingly hate our policies, yet know little about our best asset --- hard working Americans. 

 

For several years, worldwide polls have shown increasing disdain and even hate for America’s policies.  It is a small step from there to harming Americans, as 9-11 showed. 

 

At home, turmoil’s seeds are also growing. In 1993 America’s poverty rate was over 15% but fell to 11.2% by 2000.  In 2002 it climber to 12.1%, adding 3 million Americans into poverty’s since 2000 and growing worse since.

 

What are ALL Americans doing to: 1) Fight Terror and 2) Strengthen America?  The rich received a reduction in their proportion paid for our recent wars, and their sons and daughters seldom serve.  Consequently, the middle and lower classes pick up their reduced costs, and their sons and daughters continue filling most of our all-volunteer army. 

 

What can ALL Americans do?  We can institute a “Warm, productive, civilian draft” through my proposed World Service Corps (WSC) Bill to address the root causes of instability.  The WSC gives us and the world a cost-effective, long-term strategy to combat fundamental ignorance, calamities, terror, and domestic and international poverty.

 

How would it work?  In the WSC Bill/Resolution (www.dwaynehunn.biz), now in the hands of 18 Congresspersons, all young would register upon turning 18.  By their 22nd birthday, they will undertake one year of service to country and/or world by choosing to serve in the Red Cross, Peace Corps, Head Start, AmeriCorps, Habitat for Humanity, and Doctors Without Borders.  This mix of stellar, cost effective public-non-government organizations, do what Americans have proven they do well, work diligently on difficult problems and fix them.

 

In addition, all Americans could volunteer their experience and insight to the vibrant energy and impatience of young, enrolled WSC members.

 

As the world rushes toward 7 billion people, about half live on $2.00 a day.  At home poverty increases, schools need help, and inadequate housing remains too prevalent.   Environmental calamities, famines, and atrocities confront the crowded world daily.  Among an alarmingly growing number of world citizens, terrorists and myopic fundamentalists breed hatred for Americans that most of the world only knows through movies.  In a nuclear and biologically dangerous world, we have pushed the Doomsday Clock closer to midnight.

 

Jesus would not call for blowing each other up.  Christ would send shepherds out to bring the lost sheep into the comfortable flock.  Through the WSC, it is time to send a million American shepherds into peacefully bettering the world.

 

It the fourteen tumultuous nations spread from Egypt to Pakistan, 410+ million reside.  In 2005, are the 39 Peace Corps volunteers helping spread understanding there enough?

 

Wars and suffering rage on Spaceship Earth.  Aren’t the needs compelling enough to have ALL Americans leave their TVs and computers for a year’s productive, civilian service in the world’s real classrooms?   Kennedy wanted a million Peace Corps volunteers serving annually by the 1970’s.  Today 7,773 serve, while at home AmeriCorps and Head Start are drastically cut.  His words are worth pondering:

 

“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."