Essay Example: Is Sixty Hours Mandatory National Service a Good Idea? Yes, It Is.

The constitution states explicitly that all citizens have a right and women have been fighting for the rights from the time of womens suffrage, through the civil rights and up to now they are still fighting for equality. However, with the rights come the responsibilities. Everyone should be responsible as stated by John f. Kennedy that people should not ask what the country can do for them but what they can do for the country. Citizens should not be bystanders in the making of their great nation but be participants in the making of such a country. Just like companies engage in corporate social responsibility, the citizens should also participate in social responsibility in various capacities depending on their ages, capability, societal needs and their context. By examining the rights enshrined in the constitution, the researcher argues that there should be a compulsory national service for all citizens before they reach eighteen years of age.

Paid volunteerism is the model of volunteerism in which individuals offer free service to their societies such as cleaning streets, educating the illiterate or helping the needy in exchange for scholarships. While paid volunteerism has been a typical system in America, it has been covered under the guise of welfare programs meant to replace any form of private charity. Al American has equal chances of being beneficiaries of bursaries and scholarship (Drogosz, 2017). They also have right and freedom that are not enjoyed in most other countries. Therefore, in exchange for these benefits, teenagers should be engaged in compulsory national service.

To teach the children about being socially responsible, there should be a mandatory timed national service. While people were being drafted into the military when they complete their degree, the criticism of the compulsory military service has made it difficult to implement to same model today. However, a toned down national service in the form of social service should be implemented to help teach the teenagers how to care for and conserve their environments, and being socially responsible for both the environment and the people around them. Mandatory national service can significantly strengthen the character of the teenagers as well as improves their collective conscience of nationhood

Even though the country has a duty to individuals which includes preserving their liberty as well as personhood and economy, the teenagers do not owe their nation anything. However, asking them to participate in 60 hours of national services is not a bad idea and is not much to ask for from people who benefit from the system and the society they love in. Instead of children engaging in non-constructive activities and vices, they should spend some time in national services. Through national services, they meet mentors and learn from each other. Having children participate in social programs that can help them improve their character, knowledge and at the same time offering service to the society is not a bad idea.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I stress that even though the civic leaders emphasize liberty and personal freedom, everyone has an obligation to a common good. 60 hours of national services mean that the people between age 13 and 18 can devote only one hour every month to national service. It does not harm the teenagers, and neither is it legal to participate in improving the cleanliness of the society or helping in a social cause. Therefore, I would like to reiterate, compulsory 60 hours of national services would be a good idea in the spirit of patriotism, strengthen civil society and encouraging the teenagers to think beyond their self-interest.

References

Drogosz, E. (2017). United We Serve: The Debate over National Service. Brookings. Retrieved 25 November 2017, from https://www.brookings.edu/articles/united-we-serve-the-debate-over-national-service/