Yesterday was a normal day of work for me until my friend and colleague posted a U Tube video on Facebook. Normally I ignore politics and political shows because I usually get stuck in the middle of a political tug of war between family and friends. This time was no different because Glen Beck was complaining about TV's service campaign (IParticipate) and how Obama's pushing of volunteerism is equal to communism.
I immediately called my husband who watches every possible political show out there liberal and conservative. I was frustrated. How could Glen Beck state that volunteerism equals communism?? My husband assured me I was viewing the video out of context and Glen Beck was frustrated because Obama is refusing to be on any TV network that disagrees with him. He said that the TV networks had no choice but to create the TV service week (IParticipate). I thought that's frustrating too. TV networks should be allowed to have free speech even if people don't always agree with them? Right?
I don't mean to get upset but I'm sad, I'm sad that our nation the left and the right side of the political schema cannot come to an agreement that volunteerism is good. Volunteerism is such integral part of the nonprofit sector and it is such a shame that politics have to get in the way of something I think is really cool - IParticipate.
I try to shy away from the controversial issues on this blog, but I feel like these political tug of wars have got to the point where we forget what matters anymore -- a life of love, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and the meaning of volunteerism -- an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life
1 comment:
The organization that is behind iParticipate is the Entertainment Industry Foundation, the volunteer side of entertainment. whether it be a one week push or allot of disparate projects, they would still be doing good deeds.
The difference this time is that allot of organizations got together and decide it would be more effective to have a unified push. I am a member of one of the organizations involved in this push, I can assure you that I as an AmeriCorps-VISTA, am not at all involved in coercion or partisan politics.
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