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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: greenspirit who wrote (53582)	7/9/2004 12:40:31 PM
From: Mary Cluney	Respond to of 793797

<<< I support a charity organization called "Stand Up For Kids". They feed homeless teenagers in cities around the country. And I've personally gone through the pain of trying to get an 18 year old decent homeless young man into the service. And I ask this question, what is better for our society, taking a homeless teenager into the service who might be living from a friends house, to the woods, to beneath a bridge overpasse, or leaving him on the streets because he doesn't have a high school diploma or GED?>>> The questions you raise are really complex. There are many who feel that people should take personal responsibility and situations you describe are best taken care of by the private sector and or charities. I am not one of them. There are certain things the state has to do. The state has to be the traffic cop, provide air traffic coordination, national security, an enlightened justice system, and take care of those that can't take care of themselves. However, I do not feel that the military should be a dumping ground for all problem youth. I think the military has to be a professional (especially when it is voluntary) organization. Beyond that however, I believe we should set up (I believe we already have one) a jobs corp - where kids can be taken off the streets and get on the job training doing uselful work. At the same time they could be helped in finishing high school and/or getting their GED. They then can get a second chance at getting into the military. However, all this stuff is easier said then getting it done. A lot of stuff just falls through the cracks. Simple slogans and getting tough will not get the job done. We need leaderhip at the national level that can understand things, and get things done. It is just like in business, it is all about execution.