Where does it go
Friday, April 3, 2009 at 12:17PM ...the good Lord only knows. It seems just like the other day, I was down at the legion shooting them tables and generally not worrying much about what people had to say. The cue ball of late has been rolling good and for me at this point in time there is no other, other way to be. I was hanging with some lovable losers and no account boozers and worn-out politicians like me.
That is where I was when I first learned about President Obama's plan to “force” all American citizens into community service, without pay and without civil rights – such as the freedom of speech. It seemed so implausible that at first I gave it little thought. That is until I happened upon the legislation (H.R. 1388) that has passed the United States House of Representatives and who on March 31, 2009 concurred with the Senate amendments of a bill entitled, “THE EDWARD M. KENNEDY SERVE AMERICA ACT.” aka , “SERVE AMERICA ACT, or “GENERATIONS INVIGORATING VOLUNTEERISM and EDUCATION ACT” (G.I.V.E) .
As of April 2nd the bill is in a joint committee of conference to work out certain differences between the House and Senate. Chances of enactment of H.R. 1388 is about 99 to 1.
Deep in the marrow of this act is section 6104 (b) (6) “Whether a workable, fair, and reasonable mandatory service requirement for all able young people could be developed, and how such a requirement could be implemented in a manner that would strengthen the social fabric of the Nation and overcome civic challenges by bringing together people from diverse economic, ethnic, and educational backgrounds.”
Mandatory Service Requirement! Mandatory Service Requirement! If this is the inculcation direction of the United States of America, then Lord have mercy. It is very difficult to reconcile liberty with Mandatory Service Requirement.
The margin of support for this Obama Youth program is alarming. The members of Congress must have surmised the American people do not mind being forced into "voluntary" community service. They must sense the American people are no longer resolved to defend their civil liberties. Congress must know that Americans would rather be kept safe from danger then to live lives of free men and women.
This bill is referred to as G.I.V.E., as in “give and take” It seems to me there is a great deal more taking then there is giving in this legislation.
As this pertains to freedom, I for one am left wondering, “Where does it go?”
Reader Comments (22)
This is not totalitarianism. It's self defense. That's my best guess.
Funny, I have been picturing a scenario lately of how it all comes down, and if you watch two movies "Across the Pacific" with Humphrey Bogart, and "Red Dawn" you will get my sense. Invasion of (or merely alliance with) Panama, then an invasion of Alaska and then a two front invasion of North America.
I also think that's why the big superhighway across the country is being built. To transport supplies and troops between the two fronts.
Hopefully preparation for war will help us to avoid it.
The pieces are all coming together. Next move - the aggressive confiscation of firearms on the part of our ineffectual government.
If this is an "across America, every citizen must volunteer" type law then I agree with you completely. However, if it is an effort to get community service requirements into every high school as a graduation requirement then I am 100% behind it. Think about it. Gym is a requirement, Art is a requirement, but community service isn't. Where are our priorities?
Only a small percent of teenagers volunteer in their communities. Many spend countless hours on their computers or their xbox, choosing the virtual world over human contact. Requiring them to choose from a wide variety of community service options for a one semester requirement could open up a whole new world for them, interacting with people they may never have met otherwise, exposing them to ideas for future careers, and developing meaningful connections in their communities. It would also benefit the community tremendously.
As long as volunteering is totally at the will of the individual then great. I have made a life out of volunteering. However, when any law includes such phrases as mandatory volunteering then I am 100% opossed.
Think it through, the government mandating what a person HAS to do with their life. This is totally contrary to liberty.
I assure you none - NOT one - of my children will ever submit to this paternalistic/totalatarian usurption piece of misguided ant-American mischief.
John Adams and James Madison (even Andrew Jackson) would lead a revolt over this god-awful law.
If my son never bakes another pie, then that's his choice. No difference.
I do get your point though. I see our liberties eroding everyday. I just don't think this is is the intent of the law. If you want to pick a very blatant example of this in our own community, then fight for a repeal of the policy made by the school board. It requires that parents have a background check and be fingerprinted before they can volunteer in their child's classroom or go on a field trip. To put up roadblocks to keep parents out of their child's education is unconscionable. Of course, they are using "saftey" as the rationale. Where does it go from here? bar codes tatooed on our arms? I can just envision having to be scanned in order to enter the school to pick up my child at the end of the day. I know many parents who no longer volunteer because of this policy. Me included. Did YOU give in to this terrible policy and get fingerprinted?
I think we need to be grassroots about fighting for liberty. If it happens in our own backyard, then it happens more easily in our state, and then even easier in our country. People blindly accept "what's good for them". How about the bill requiring everyone in NH to wear a seat belt? Where are all the protesters? Police will be able to pull us over and give us a fine just for not wearing our seat belts!! I could go on and on. There are so many bills proposed every session that take away more and more of our freedoms. Free choice, free words, free actions. They are all slipping away. Why? because we (the collective populace) are letting them.
This and other Obama moves are blatantly unconstitutional. Expect court challenges.
Princess Diana got into a car with a drunk driver and didn't wear her seat belt. Those two mistakes cost her and society dearly. Obama referred to a wider set of obligations we have to each other. Times are hard and we need everyone to grab an oar to keep this boat afloat. Seat belts save lives. This is no big deal. Lost jobs are a big deal.
If I was one of the targets in Binghampton NY, it would be my choice to fire back (or not).
My point is this; I do not need, I will not tolerate, and I will not adhere, any longer, to the suspension of my constitutional rights by a congress who is the greatest threat to American freedom. I will exercise all rights granted to me under the both the Federal and the NH Constitutions. Nothing more, nothing less.
And by the way, I am neither t an anarchist, nor a terrorist. I am an American from the Granite State.
H.R. 1388 is a misguided concept (soon to be a a misguided law).
It's really good to see you writing again. And I am glad you are writing about this. Again, I think everything points to an invasion. That actual domestic security has to be revamped because we are completely unprepared for the conseqences of a national bankruptcy. But, confiscating guns would be a tell tale decision, wouldn't it...I suggest if anyone is listening that they don't try it. The natives are DEFINITELY restless.
I drive by Riley's gun shop every day and it is ALWAYS PACKED. I went up to the Kittery Trading Post the other day, and you would think guns were XBoxes.
I don't think they American people are in a position to allow their weapons to be confiscated. There are too many threats to them. All I can afford is a five dollar slingshot from Walmart, but I have it, and I know how to use it. And you'd be surprised how hard those pellets shoot.
Bottom line is, we don't need less weapons we need more. So, if anyone wants to donate an AK 47 to a first time gun owner, I sure would appreciate it. Otherwise I am saving my pennies.
Bravo! Bravo!
later living expenses.
The gist of the novel was that with only a brief term
of physical work, everyone could earn enough for a lifetime of support,
which would necessarily leave abundant leisure for intellectual, artistic,
and humanitarian pursuits. The greatest criticisms Bellamy endured in 1888
were that his period of service was too short (although not by much, since
the removal of the profit motive vasly decreased the cost of goods), and
that there was no practical means of recording or calculating the credits
and their later distribution. The latter problem has already been eliminated
by computer monitoring, and the former can sill be overcome, even in an
overpopulated world. The "volunteer" system that you describe seems to
rekindle Bellamy's system, except that it lacks the foremost ingredient of
future security. The juxtaposition of "mandatory" with "volunteerism,"
meanwhile, evokes the doublespeak of Orweell's futuristic nightmare.
Interestingly, the proposed law PAYS students for volunteering ($500-$750 for a summer). If you are paid, isn't that "working" and not "volunteering"?
Well, it certainly would motivate kids. The catch here is the cost of the program. The federal government would pay 50%, the other 50% would have to come from whatever organization is applying for the grant to run the program. This could be a non-profit agency, a college, a state or local education agency. So a state or town could be saddled with some hefty costs to run these programs. From a tax perspective, I think this bill is ill-advised. While I still stand behind my first post, as to the worthiness of public service as part of a high school curriculum, I think that this bill as written has too many serious flaws and would be an added burden to already overtaxed towns and states.
My first gun was a 9mm semi-auto handgun. Most recommend revolvers for beginners.
I have wanted an AK47 for a few years now, ever since I saw it profiled on tales of the gun. Any student of history and engineering has to respect the kalashnikov.
I could not agree with you more. Let's use the last vestiges of goodwill to the USD on guns and ammo. I really couldn't care less if the dollar drops off the face of the earth, so long as the FED does as well.
You are kidding Right?
Right?
You are kidding?
Good lord I hope you are kidding (or if you are not, I hope you are alone - all alone)