It's your bed.
Only you can make it.
It's your world.
It's time to take it.
I was born in 1960. What is special about that?
John F. Kennedy was elected President in that year. He called on a new generation of Americans to take control of the future. That is what a leader does: Inspire.
"We chose to go to the Moon!"Â
I grew up in a country that was obsessed with the future and all of the promise that America could foster. The 60s in America were both horrible and wonderful. Assassinations, the Vietnam War, and racial tensions were mixed in the the gigantic progress in science, new civil rights laws, and the desire for peace, love, and freedom.
I was fortunate to grow up into a great family where we enjoyed the associations and friendships with people who were a part of our lives. Heck, I went to 1st and 2nd grade on the college campus where my father taught in the psychology department and my mom was a secretary at the same college. We were not rich by any stretch of the imagination, but we were optimistic.
(The following list is from Google Search)
Kennedy's Initiatives
-
- The Peace Corps: Established in 1961, this agency was directly inspired by JFK's late-night 1960 campaign challenge to University of Michigan students to dedicate themselves to global development and peace. It provided recent college graduates and young professionals the opportunity to work in education, healthcare, and agriculture across the globe.
- Student Airlift: JFK supported and assisted the African American Students Foundation and figures like Jackie Robinson in raising funds and securing scholarships. This airlift brought 81 East African students to American and Canadian universities in 1959. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
-
- The President's Council on Physical Fitness: JFK expanded and reinvigorated this council in 1961, urging schools to adopt rigorous physical education requirements to improve the overall health and patriotic vigor of American children.
- Mental Health & Special Needs: In 1963, JFK signed landmark legislation to fund research and diagnostic centers for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The bill also increased funding to train teachers of handicapped children. This era of Kennedy family advocacy is also credited with incubating the camps organized by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, which eventually evolved into the Special Olympics.
- The President's Committee on Youth Employment: Created to address the economic challenges facing high school dropouts and the hard-core unemployed, this committee laid the groundwork for job-training and remedial education efforts for 14- to 21-year-olds.
- Higher Education Expansion: JFK proposed expanded federal aid to higher education, which included robust student loan programs to enable tens of thousands of additional students to attend college.
- Vocational Education: He modernized federal-state vocational training programs to help prepare the majority of young people who were not seeking a college degree for a changing workforce.
Where are we going now?
Nobody is even talking about where we are headed today. Everyone is so buried beneath the pile of confusion being heaped upon them that it is next to impossible to think about the future at all. The only way out of this mess we are in is to rip ourselves away from the current tug of war and start playing a more compelling game.
Old Folks Go Home!
I am now almost 66 years old. I have lived a great life because of the environment I was surrounded by. It made everything possible. Sure, I worked hard for it, but I didn't have to fight in any wars, didn't have to worry about the government abusing me, and felt safe in the world. I was lucky. We are all lucky. But, the future does not belong to us.
Right now I am calling on every geriatric to leave office. I am calling for the end of Citizens United that not only unfairly props up corrupt politicians but also prevents those who don't play their game from even daring to run. We've got to reset the scales or this doesn't end well for anyone.
If I was 20
If I was 20 years old right now I would recognize the golden opportunities that the future has in store for me. Maybe I'd want to become a lawyer, study the constitution and begin my political career focusing on the future for MY GENERATION.
If I was 20 years old right now I would look at the scientific fields and become a doctor, nurse, or researcher to solve health problems with all the new technologies available.
If I was 20 years old I would create a new philosophy of a world view that envisioned a United States that was respected and admired for our lead in making lives better for ourselves and around the world.
Your Freedom is My Freedom
The first rule of freedom is to realize that our freedom can only happen with the cooperation of others. People shouldn't be oppressing each other with their own vain ideas about how life should be for them any more than a government should dictate how we live our daily lives. We want a level playing field for all so that everyone can benefit from the freedoms created and not be bothered with someone trying to coopt their freedoms for their own purposes.
We should be able to express ourselves freely without any fear of retribution or persecution by our peers and much less by our government. Not only that, we should be eager to hear all sides of an issue without melting down into a heap of controversy and anger. Personal freedom is our right and that means nobody can take it from us. But, you have to WANT that. You have to SEE that. You have to DEFEND that. You have to LIVE that. But more than anything, you have to VOTE for that.
To the youth of today. It's YOUR world. You are going to have to save it. We can't do it for you. It is YOUR time.