SHOULD ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS HAVE TO COMPLETE A YEAR OF
COMMUNITY SERVICE? 1
Should all American Citizens Have to Complete a Year of Community Service?
Name
Institution
Date
SHOULD ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS HAVE TO COMPLETE A YEAR OF COMMUNITY
SERVICE? 2
Should all American Citizens Have to Complete a Year of Community Service?
Community service encompasses the provision of services that are beneficial to the
public and its related institutions. It may involve serving the state through the National Youth
Service, aiding the aged populace with their household chores, et al. The program also finds its
pertinence in the Department of Justice where malefactors may offer services such as shoveling
of walks and raking of leaves as part of their penalization. Protagonists of community service
colligate it with some benefits.
Community service enables students to apply the concepts they learned and
comprehended in class to real life. This makes them more appealing to employers than their
counterparts who eschew the program. Additionally, it assists scholars in the acquisition of selfconfidence
because they may succeed in areas in which they presumed that they were weak
(Wade, 1997, p. 199). Despite the vantages of community service, some individuals lack interest
in the program due to the absence of remuneration (Kenny & Gallagher, 2003, p. 244).
In as much as community service has its intrinsic worth, all Americans should only
participate in it voluntarily. They should not be compelled to complete a year in the program
because this will flout the Constitution, which protects every American from forced labor.
Furthermore, the United States of America is quite expansive, and there are divergent opinions
on community service. Making the program mandatory will only favor its proponents and
disfavor its adversaries, which emasculates democracy (Kenny & Gallagher, 2003, p. 247).
In conclusion, community service corroborates to be a positive initiative because it
expedites personality growth of people in the program. However, there should not be a
mandatory one-year participation of all Americans in the program because the US constitution
protects all citizens from forced labor. America epitomizes true democracy. Any move to compel
SHOULD ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS HAVE TO COMPLETE A YEAR OF COMMUNITY
SERVICE? 3
her citizens to work against their wish is undemocratic, and will destroy her image in the global
arena.
SHOULD ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS HAVE TO COMPLETE A YEAR OF COMMUNITY
SERVICE? 4
References
Kenny, M., & Gallagher, L. A. (2003). Teenagers and Community Service: A Guide to the
Issues. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Wade, R. C. (1997). Community Service-Learning: A Guide to Including Service in the Public
School Curriculum. New York: SUNY Press.