Letter: Bring back 'draft' to instill sense of service
We need more than a token day of service celebrated to make ourselves feel good on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We need to bring back the draft.
No, not the military draft, but a requirement that students, upon graduation from high school, will serve in some voluntary capacity (not necessarily of their choice) for one year as a requirement of going to college (like Peace Corps, etc.)
Give students choice to do the service prior to college or during college part-time over four years. The service could be used as a basis for debt forgiveness on student loan debt interest.
Why do this? We seem to be a country that is becoming more about "Me, the special interest group" lately rather than "We, the People."
Like military service, public service would a great way to gain a perspective about our great country, and about issues and needs greater than ourselves and our personal interests.
Look around, the need to help others without consideration to ourselves is overwhelming. If for no other reason, it would look good on a college graduates resume (snark).
David Clark
Libertyville