I was always relieved that girls weren't in jeopardy of being drafted into the military. Life was changing so fast in the 1960s and 1970s, and very few people seemed to appreciate the public service of those dedicated guys. Those who went into the military were often considered out of step and, therefore, far behind in social and employment status.
I look at it quite differently today. I'm not in favor of a military draft, but I believe that people who do not serve our country in some capacity are those who will be left behind and out of step.
Economy aside, there is such a feeling of optimism about our government taking a much more positive direction and President-Elect Obama's calls to public service. It's funny to hear terms like WPA and CCC -- acronyms for Works Progress Association and Civilian Conservation Corps -- that we've rarely heard since we read about them in history textbooks.
I was delighted to hear about the Huffington Post's own call to action to serve. I'm in.
I plan to combine two of my passions to add to my existing public service work. I am a Commissioner for the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, charged with making our 400+ parks the best places with a variety of programs for millions of local residents.
And, as a first-time author, just weeks away from my autobiography being published, I've been learning a lot about the state of publishing, literacy programs, library priorities and the changes relating to books. My plan is to work with reading programs as my first venture as my newest public service commitment.
Thanks for the added inspiration, Arianna. Hope no one is left behind.
Follow Candy Spelling on Twitter: www.twitter.com/cscandyland
Specifics on these programs please???
When someone really IS involved in a worthy cause, as Candy is, there's no need for sarcasm or insults.
But you make a valid point, there are so many more serious problems like lack of healthcare for the poor, working poor, and no real mental healthcare any longer.
And all the diseases, heart, lung, cancer are just a few that deserve attention.
Public service or service to the Nation in the military means many things to different peoples. From stopping the war machine to the defense of the Fatherland.
Seems to me that it is not social progress that we send our daughters into war in addition to our sons. I would have hoped that in the last 40 years we would have been sending many less Americans into wars around the world. that would have been progress to me.
I support the National service of Citizens within the borders of our Country. It's when we leave our shores that has always seemed to be the problem for ourselves and the world.
i also agree that service must mean more than just serving in the military.
People are not robots and should not take up arms for their country without good reason. Individuals have to make moral choices and governments very seldom deal in those. The last eight years are only the most recent example.
Service is doing what you are able to do if your conscience moves you to do it. Soldiers are government property and they check their free will when they are sworn in.
This rich rhymes with wit ch is typical of the super-wealthy patrons we had when I worked for a Symphony in a major American city. Their "volunteering" consisted of showing other patrons to their seats during a performance and stuffing envelopes for the annual beg-a-thon. This is what the rich consider volunteering for a good cause. You won't find Spelling or anyone named Madoff doing outreach for gangs or feeding the homeless on Thanksgiving or building a poor person a house with Habitat for Humanity. And guaranteed the moment her daughter or son got drafted, she's pull out every penny in her late husband's wallet to stop it somehow.