Rahm on Universal National Service
At a time when the state of affairs and opportunities for the younger generations of our society is of great concern, Rahm weighed in with a Washington Post Op-Ed advocating for a Universal National Service program. (provided as a gift article by our PAC)
A generation is slipping through our fingers. Here’s what we can do.
National Service as the Antidote
In the article, Rahm describes National Service in our institutions as a the “antidote” to today’s technology-driven destruction of direction and purpose:
“Although the men and women serving in the ranks might be part of the most lethal institutions ever to exist on the face of the Earth, very few of them are “might makes right” individuals. In my experience, they are, to a one, deeply committed to the United States’ principles — the rule of law, personal freedom and a universal respect for self-determination. And they represent the antidote to what many believe has become a central scourge of American life.
This phenomenon first surfaced nearly three decades ago with Robert Putnam’s book “Bowling Alone.” More recently, Jonathan Haidt has raised alarms about the role technology is having on impressionable minds, leaving teens and young adults listless, distracted and unable to focus. Richard Reeves has keyed in on concerns that millions of young men spend their days and nights holed away in their parents’ basements playing video games by themselves.”
not all superheroes wear uniforms
Some will balk at the idea of military service as a solution. Well, Rahm advocates for reviving civil service programs for young people:
“Not everyone should have to don a uniform to honor our creed — some will serve in AmeriCorps (which President Donald Trump is busy cutting) or Teach for America, or in various states’ conservation corps. But we should be clear now about why national service is essential for our country and for those who serve. Future generations need to be imbued with a sense that the fate of this experiment that will be 250 years old next year rests on their commitment to its core values. Taking responsibility for maintaining the miracle of our democracy should become a rite of passage for every young person. Citizenship has both privileges and responsibilities.”
you get what you give - and more
Rahm goes on to say that a program like this should be universal - at least 6 months service - and one of the parts of the deal is that the federal government will pay for public university tuition. That makes sense - yo
“Since the draft ended more than 50 years ago, several prominent figures have embraced the notion of universal national service. Now, when so many worry that young people are slipping through our fingers, we don’t have time to wait. To approach this with a sense of urgency, everyone should be required to give at least half a year of their lives to their country in ways that weave them into their communities. For every additional six months they serve, the government should cover a semester of public university tuition. By the time every American has turned 30, everyone should have a story to tell of service to their country and their communities.”