The President's Volunteer Summit is now history. President Clinton and former President's Ford, Carter, Bush and President Reagan, represented by his wife Nancy were all on stage and spoke to the need of volunteers. The idea that this country is in a crisis is absurd. The idea that in order to be a good citizen you must volunteer has been the over all make up this country for the last 220 plus years. This country is founded on the idea of volunteers. Keep in mind that the militias that fought the British to form the United States of America were volunteers.

President Clinton also made the point that volunteers were helping in schools. I was quite taken with the speeches given and feel that this could be a road toward less government. Think about it volunteers instead of teachers. One point that needs to be made here is that if the teachers aren't teaching the simple ability to read then maybe volunteers can do it better and cheaper. One of the points made in the speech given by President Bush is that to many children are going into the work force without knowing how to read. This means that the teachers have not been doing their job.

President Clinton then made the point that more children need mentors. Isn't that what parents are suppose to be? If the President wants more people to be mentors then why not eliminate the over taxing of the American People! This in turn will give parents and others more time to spend being a mentor, instead of having to work a second job to pay taxes.

The President was right we need volunteers and mentors, however NOT Government Sponsored Volunteers. As President Clinton's Liberal talking heads have been quick to point out that the Government would be selecting those for volunteers. The Government would also tell the volunteer where he or she was needed. The volunteer would receive no monetary compensation for their work since it was volunteered. The Government would then tell the volunteer how much time they would spend doing the task and so on... According to the dictionary I have volunteer means to offer one's services freely without having to ask. If the Government asks you to do something then that is not volunteering it is however servitude, and we fought a war in the 1860's to end that crap.

I do like the idea of being a good mentor. Just think, if we all practice the art of treating each other the way we want to be treated how much better it would be. One thing that I think the Clinton's missed is that a lot of those volunteering will be Christians. What a great opportunity for to promote Christianity.

What really got me was Clinton telling us what a good citizen should be.... E X C U S E ME!!! Didn't he write a letter to the draft board saying that he loathed the military and refused to serve!

Sincerely,

Jim Gibb