Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 24, 1994 TAG: 9405240059
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Service to others - the poor, the elderly, the community, the nation - must, in other words, be recognized by young people as a duty of citizenship in this country that offers them such a wealth of opportunities.
The good news is that, in growing numbers, young people seem to be embracing this ideal. Note the discussion in today's "Young Voices" feature, on the opposite page.
The media may focus on youth who carry guns, have out-of-wedlock babies, and spend all day watching TV or listening to loud music. But, as several of the "Young Voices" respondents insist, more and more college students and other young people are committing time, energy and talents to the betterment of community and country.
Some, perhaps, have been inspired by the youthfulness and idealism of the current president (notwithstanding his wife's '80s-style success in the commodities market) - just as many were inspired in 1961 by another youthful president who challenged: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."
More young people today than you might imagine also have been moved to service by the religious values of churches they attend.
For some, civic engagement is a habit explicitly encouraged in high school. In Maryland, community service is a requirement for graduation. It should be in Virginia, too.
As the letter from Katie Foster, a Hollins College senior, suggests, some young people are fortunate enough to have parents who raise them to find meaning and satisfaction in community involvement.
Parents who complain that their self-centered children care only about themselves should take note: "Family influence plays a strong role in the development of young people," writes Foster. "Indifference to community affairs reflects the amount of participation and interest by older generations."
Adults who are cynical about callow youth's callousness should also check out the letter from Heather McElrath of Virginia Tech, referring to thousands of volunteer hours that Tech students have devoted to community projects and charitable causes in Blacksburg.
Ms. McElrath's point was recently borne out by a national study, which estimates that teen-agers are volunteering on the average of 3.2 hours a week in their communities - doing everything from helping neighbors paint houses to singing in the choir to tutoring at-risk students.
"There needs to be an understanding between the twentysomething generation and the baby boomers," writes McElrath. "Today's students would rather get involved directly to make a difference." They may not cotton much to attending board meetings or political debates, but they "put their hands and hearts to work, without complaining."
Not all the letters on the page give such cause for optimism. But McElrath's argument is convincing. Rather than whine about the so-called Generation Xers' indifference and lack of engagement, complaining adults might do better to follow some examples being set by young people.
by CNB