Country called to service

Finally the United States has expanded its boundaries of democracy to see the dawn of an black President-elect. He is the beneficiary of a democratic system that once held Africans as slaves. The American Dream has likely advanced beyond what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. anticipated for this time, but I digress. Hope for America lies not only within Barack Obama, but in the call to duty he has made to each and every U.S. citizen.

This call is one for change and action. As Obama articulated on Dec. 5, 2007, "I won't just ask for your vote as a candidate; I will ask for your service and your active citizenship when I am president of the United States. This will not be a call issued in one speech or program; this will be a cause of my presidency."

Approximately 80,000 people watched Obama give his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention on Election Day; more than one billion others viewed from home. In other words, there's no excuse; enough people are aware of our leader's plea and we need to step up.

I agree wholeheartedly that apathetic American citizens need to abruptly put their petty issues to a halt and begin working toward a united goal. And no, it's not communism.

Our country requires public action to defend social order. It should be a joint collaborative effort bound by an intricate web of interaction and compassion of citizens with a passion to help the greater good of society.

I am currently taking a communications class at EWU called Communication, Community and Citizenship. This course has taught me, above all else, that a well-informed and active citizenry is key to strengthening our bonds to each other as a nation.

We will have an affirmative obligation burdened on our government toward bettering the overly-broad description of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" when Obama steps into office. He has promised to do his part politically, now we must do our part socially and in politics, as well.

Communities should begin to connect internally and build linkages to other communities to represent their views collectively. Essentially, a community is simply a group of individuals and families within a given area. If each of us does our part, as Obama said, "We can."

During Obama's presidency, there will be an elaborate plan implemented that is geared toward coaxing citizens into community involvement and service learning. His Universal Voluntary Citizen Service Plan, among other things, will set a goal that high school students do 50 hours of community service per year. It will also give a new American Opportunity Tax Credit that is a $4,000 per year incentive for college students to do 100 hours of community service.

Obama includes global perspective in his Plan by negotiating the Peace Corps to be doubled to 16,000 members by 2011. He plans to work with foreign leaders to build an international network of volunteers working side-by-side overseas. One organization committed to Obama's Service Plan is HopeCorp. Their mission is to ask "Joe the Plumber" to commit "to raise public awareness to Obama's Service Plan among friends, family and within your community," according to the Obama/Biden Web site.

Seriously, it's not like Obama is asking people to completely alter their lives. At least one hour of service projects or citizen engagement activity per week is what the recipe for success generally calls for.

Obama is as inspiring an individual as the world has seen. Let us not stop at hope, but manifest our nation's greatness together in unity through his wisdom and foresight. Let us serve our communities as Obama did on the South Side of Chicago and live his legacy as philanthropists, as Americans, and as one.