Back among the Greatest Generation, whose character and characters we are losing, the case can be made that about 32.65%+ of the Greatest Generation performed some form of national service.
Almost everyone experienced life that gave support to the Pledge that we were becoming, "One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
Those 1892 words penned by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist Minister and Christian Socialist, were intended to keep the nation marching toward good health and opportunity for all.
Today former Commander of International Forces in Afghanistan, General Stan McChrystal, echoes what we and others have been urging.
"Today, the need for such a common experience of citizenship is more poignant than ever. We are drifting apart. Contrary to the illusion of constant connectivity, Americans are isolated--geographically, ethnically, economically, religiously, and culturally. An affluent student from Greenwich, Connecticut will never meet a student from Harlem."
Today, after a strident 2016 election laced with provocative, cutting words, the election process seems to have painfully tattooed a deepening American rift.
Most historians would agree that a Great Leap toward "One nation-- happened in the 1940's, when about 2.3 million drew upon the earth for sustenance.
Back in the 40's glaciers were bigger, flooding heavily populated areas less prevalent, fracked water unknown, climate weirding not yet believed by 98%+ of scientists, and monstrous wealth disparity not so garish.
In 2015 with 90% of glaciers shrinking, flooding and earthquakes consistently devastating millions of lives, fracked water igniting from taps as well as on Oklahoma quake-ridden plains, 7.3+ billion earthlings ought to be doing much more than just talking about and suffering from climate weirding.
In 2005 Hurricane Katrina became the most costly natural disaster in United States history.
In 2015 Nepal had a devastating earthquake, with continuing aftershocks.
In 2017 South Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria and Yemen are on the edge of catastrophe, thanks to coflict, drought, and an international response failure. International Rescue Committee reports that an unprecedented 65 million are living as refugees or internally displaced people.
Imagine if the American World Service Corps Congressional National Service (AWSCNS) Proposal (AWSCNS Proposal) had been enacted years before 2005. The Peace Corps, International Rescue Committee, Doctors Without Borders, Habitat for Humanity, Oxfam, American Friends Service Committee, Mercy Corps, UN aid agencies, home for the aged, hospital therapy wards, etc., would have thousands of additional volunteers of all ages that they could quickly rebuild New Orleans, allocate to assist quake-ravaged Nepal, fight famine, as well as help with refugee resettlement problems throbbing throughout the world, alleviate domestic poverty, etc.
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