[Fresh Ink] Expanded Americorps has stench of,authoritarianism

[May at Appleby Books]

Examiner Editorial:  Expanded Americorps has stench of
authoritarianism
Examiner Editorial 3/26/09

http://www.sfexaminer.com/opinion/Expanded-Americorps-has-stench-of-authoritarianism-41869152.html

With almost no public attention, both chambers of Congress in the
past week advanced an alarming expansion of the Americorps national
service plan, with the number of federally funded community-service
jobs increasing from 75,000 to 250,000 at a cost of $5.7 billion.
Lurking behind the feel-good rhetoric spouted by the measure's
advocates is a bill that upon closer inspection reveals multiple
provisions that together create a strong odor of creepy
authoritarianism.

The House passed the measure overwhelmingly, while only 14 senators
had the sense and courage to vote against it on a key procedural
motion.  Every legislator who either voted for this bill or didn't
vote at all has some serious explaining to do.

Last summer, then-candidate Barack Obama threw civil liberties to the
wind when he proposed "a civilian national security force that's just
as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded" as the regular
military.  The expanded Americorps is not quite so disturbing, but a
number of provisions in the bill raise serious concerns.

To begin with, the legislation threatens the voluntary nature of
Americorps by calling for consideration of "a workable, fair and
reasonable mandatory service requirement for all able young people."
It anticipates the possibility of requiring "all individuals in the
United States" to perform such service, including elementary school
students.

The bill also summons up unsettling memories of World War II-era
paramilitary groups by saying the new program should "combine the
best practices of civilian service with the best aspects of military
service," while establishing "campuses" that serve as "operational
headquarters," complete with "superintendents" and "uniforms" for all
participants.  It allows for the elimination of all age restrictions
in order to involve Americans at all stages of life.  And, it calls
for the creation of "a permanent cadre" in a "National Community
Civilian Corps."

But that's not all.  The bill also calls for "youth engagement zones"
in which "service learning" is "a mandatory part of the curriculum in
all of the secondary schools served by the local educational agency."

This updated form of voluntary community service is also to be
"integrated into the science, technology, engineering and mathematics
curricula" at all levels of schooling.  Sounds like a government
curriculum for government-approved "service learning," which is
nothing less than indoctrination.

Now, ask yourself if Congress members who voted for this monstrosity
had a clue what they were voting for.  If not, they're guilty of
dereliction of duty. If they did, the implications are truly
frightening.