The Pink Flamingo :: Is "Community Service" a Punishment, Honor, Duty, or Freely Given

While I was in high school I volunteered as a candy striper. I think I did well over 1000 hours of volunteering, all freely given. There was no requirement of "community service" at that time for those of us in high school. In fact, there were some parties who made fun of us for volunteering. I had a good time and was never recognized for my work, which never bothered me one way or another. I think I quit because I became gainfully employed (sort of).

Those hours of volunteer work taught me quite a bit. The one thing I learned was that the work had to be freely given. It could not be required. When it was required "community service" becomes a sentence for someone caught driving drunk. It has nothing to do with "good deeds" or really helping people. While Vodkapundit thinks if teenagers are required to do community service, they will be forever turned off to anything that has to do with government, community or giving. Will Collier thinks that demanding teens and college students to "good" will cause them to resent the person who required the service.

Flopping Ace has the theory that demanding this service is nothing less than "slavery". I think it is a fascinating idea and could cause some interesting times in the court systems. Hummm.... I want to ask an honest question. If this were not a Democratic proposal, requiring young people do to at least 3 months of civil service between the ages of 18 and 25, if it had been proposed by Newt Gingrich, how would it go over?

You cannot mandate "community service" and have it be seen as anything other than punishment. You cannot mandate goodness, decency or the will to help others. By forcing it, the fragile humanitarian flower will never fully blossom.

This is so going to backfire....