Many, many thanks, Pat Ellis for that wonderful introduction, and especially for all of your hard work in preparing for today’s gathering. I am not alone in saying that I am delighted to see you looking so well, and I hope that 2002 will bring nothing but health and happiness for everyone here. And thanks to all the hearty souls who braved the weather to come here today! Someone told me just a: moment ago that the only reason they came to today’s “Fireside Forum” was not to hear me speak, but because they were under the impression that there would actually be a fire burning to warm themselves!
Thank you for inviting me to join you today. I was lucky enough to spend the holidays in Florida. The 80 degree weather there made it difficult to come back to Washington. But, thankfully, I had this event to look forward to, and I am grateful for the invitation and the impressive turnout. I also appreciate you asking me to talk about the Peace Corps and your interest in that program, which naturally is one of my favorites.
President Kennedy called upon us to give our lives to service, and we created the Peace Corps to fulfill his policy. “Unless you comprehend the nature of what is being asked of you,” he said, “We cannot succeed!” The Peace Corps was our answer to his words and his challenge. The Peace Corps nature was specifically designed to answer Kennedy’s challenge. Its nature was peaceful. Its nature was to call upon all Americans to serve others, overseas for at least 2 years and to serve the needs of others at home for the rest of their lives!
Service at home, according to the Peace Corps Act, involved teaching and telling our fellow Americans about the realities life for all poor persons living in the Third World with the profound poverty, wide-spread disease, lack of education, and hopelessness facing them all! But also we were compelled to tell them about the hopes and plans we possessed for them, for their futures, and for their ambitions. All of this is what we worked to achieve. But what of the prospects for the Peace Corps today?
Before I go any further, may I remind you that the Peace Corps is not only for the very young. There are currently 402 Peace Corps Volunteers 50 years of age and over who are serving overseas. So, it’s never too late to join, and to work daily for the improvement of all aspects of life for the benefit of people everywhere in the entire world. I’ve been asked a lot of questions about the Peace Corps in response to the horrific recent events of September 11. How is it possible that so many citizens of Afghanistan clearly hate Americans in spite of years of service from American Peace Corps Volunteers working side by side with them? Why would we want to send new volunteers to Afghanistan today when, terrorists is and killers there would love to have more innocent Americans to kill? These are tough questions that raise good points. I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I can tell you this: The Peace Corps WAS there in Afghanistan, and virtually everywhere else in the world, and some lives changed — both the lives of American volunteers, and lives of the people they served. Is it America’s primary purpose in the world to change and improve lives, or to snuff them out?
