government mandated slavery

[Kevlar281]

I would gladly serve if called upon.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by Kevlar281

I would gladly serve if called upon.

No you wouldn't according to SOME people, because you have a funky attitude and you have better things to do. And you don't want to be a slave... LOL



Not to mention that didn't or are you already serve/ing in our Armed Forces?

That's better than many of the folks around here...

[BabyPiNK_FL]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

Middle and high schools in a number of states already require students to complete a certain number of community service hours in order to be allowed to graduate. Obama's suggested plan doesn't sound too far off from what's already occurring.

And I'm mad that in the little time I was trying to post, y'all blew up the thread.

I was required to do them in the state of FL. If you did a certain amount it provided you with a special cord at graduation. You also needed a certain amount to be considered for Bright Futures Scholarship (seeing as how almost EVERY instate kid I know has this, there are a LOT who did it!)

I also had to do them in middle school as well. Was it annoying? Yes. But I'll never forget my wonderful summer before my senior year where I spent over 300 hours at a working-class area Boys and Girls Club helping children 7-10 focus on improving their reading skills. Yes, I did it because I was "forced", but there was a lot of benefit in it for both myself and those kids. Would I claim the experience to be the equivalent of slavery...um no.

And I wouldn't mind doing some sort of mandatory basic training either. It would probably get rid of these 5 extra pounds I'm carrying around and provide me with a new and enlightening experience. It's not like I (or any of my recently graduated friends) have a real job right now anyway, what with this economy the way it is.

[DGTess]

Originally Posted by Kevlar281

I would gladly serve if called upon.

But being "called upon" is not volunteerism, is it?

Contrast this idea the development of the Peace Corps, and the call for voluntary service.

Originally Posted by AKA Monet

I am really trying hard to understand how come any kind of community service for young people is not a good idea.

I imagine how non-profits suffer due to poor numbers of volunteers on their projects.

What makes this a particularly bad idea is that America is a land of liberty. That means free choice, and yes, accepting the consequences of that choice. Which means leaving open the choice NOT to participate. Most may agree that morally, serving is the "right" thing to do, but choice is fundamental part of liberty.

And accepting the consquences could be a bureaucratic nightmare in itself. You can't graduate if you don't contribute 50/100 hours? To what? You're talking about making government bigger to "enforce" volunteerism.

And I can envision the courts becoming involved over disputes between what is and what isn't community service .....

A good idea, in theory only.

[texas*princess]

Maybe I misunderstood something, but I don't think Obama is going to come after people's 401K. Where are you gonna hide it? Under a matteress? Good luck with that... lol

Way to start an inflammatory thread (with a GREAT title by the way) and not have credible sources to back it up except someone's myspace post.

[agzg]

I'm pretty sure the middle class americans that would get the tax break are those that are hardworking.

Just because you don't make over $250K a year does not mean you are not hardworking.

Either that, or I'm one lazy-assed turd.

[Nanners52674]

Originally Posted by StargazerLily

telling kids they "have" to do community service? Sounds like government mandated slavery to me.

My high school as well as the other two in the town had mandatory service projects that had to be completed or you would not graduate. Obama's idea is NOT a bad one, as it's done in many high schools currently. Also I think it would help a lot of kids to see a different part of society that they aren't typically exposed to.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by Nanners52674

My high school as well as the other two in the town had mandatory service projects that had to be completed or you would not graduate. Obama's idea is NOT a bad one, as it's done in many high schools currently. Also I think it would help a lot of kids to see a different part of society that they aren't typically exposed to.

Just because an idea isn't a bad one doesn't mean it's a legitimate function of the government, especially the federal government. But the wording has already been changed to make this a goal rather than a requirement, so it's hardly forcing anyone to do anything.

ETA:Here’s a cached page with the “required” language.
http://74.125.45.104/search?q=cache:...lnk&cd=1&gl=us

Here’s the changed version with the current “set a goal” language:

http://change.gov/americaserves/
(both these were linked on Instapundit.com)

EATA: I think it's kind of interesting that the second also suggests remuneration for the work for the college kids, which didn't seem to be in the first one.

[amanda6035]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

Just because an idea isn't a bad one doesn't mean it's a legitimate function of the government, especially the federal government. But the wording has already been changed to make this a goal rather than a requirement, so it's hardly forcing anyone to do anything.

ETA:Here’s a cached page with the “required” language.
http://74.125.45.104/search?q=cache:...lnk&cd=1&gl=us

Here’s the changed version with the current “set a goal” language:

http://change.gov/americaserves/
(both these were linked on Instapundit.com)

EATA: I think it's kind of interesting that the second also suggests remuneration for the work for the college kids, which didn't seem to be in the first one.

Obama's living up to change already. Way to go, website editors!

[OneTimeSBX]

i had mandatory community service growing up...it was called my parents! every summer my sisters and i had to volunteer and do something, instead of sit on our behinds for three months. i think it is a really good idea to do it for college tuition credit or however they want to do it...with the way things are going, a lot of these kids are going to need it for school!

[DGTess]

Originally Posted by amanda6035

Obama's living up to change already. Way to go, website editors!

You got to this first. Thanks!

Can you spell flip-flop?

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by DGTess

You got to this first. Thanks!

Can you spell flip-flop?

Can you spell bitter old hag?

[amanda6035]

HAHAHAHA....

This is funny....and appropriate for this thread. LOL!!!


http://www.236.com/video/2008/get_yo...orde_10121.php

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by StargazerLily

I'm looking at the middle/high school kids. What do they get for doing their 50 hours of service?

Look, I'm going to ignore the rest because I'm incredibly hung over and you don't deserve the kind of irate rant that would follow, but seriously, take another second and read your note above again.

Seriously - you have a problem with COMMUNITY SERVICE? Even if compulsory, the kids get to pick what they do - so it's not like they're forced to help X, Y or Z (where X/Y/Z are communities you find distasteful), they're allowed to clean dishes at the country club if they want. This isn't a bad thing, unless you're absolutely and irrevocably irrational.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Look, I'm going to ignore the rest because I'm incredibly hung over and you don't deserve the kind of irate rant that would follow, but seriously, take another second and read your note above again.

Seriously - you have a problem with COMMUNITY SERVICE? Even if compulsory, the kids get to pick what they do - so it's not like they're forced to help X, Y or Z (where X/Y/Z are communities you find distasteful), they're allowed to clean dishes at the country club if they want. This isn't a bad thing, unless you're absolutely and irrevocably irrational.

I think one could have a rational problem with any new federal program without a clearly defined purpose. Your point about washing dishes at the country club kind of points out how useless this could turn out to be. It might actually be destructive, displacing lower wage employees.

I don't have a problem with tying currently existing federal assistance for higher education to community service in areas of specific need. As far as middle school and high school, if a local board wanted to set it up, okay. Or if it's offered as sort of the old Presidential Physical Fitness Awards program in the area of community service, it's hard to see it doing any real harm or having any really big costs.

But it's not irrational to question exactly what and how.