It was not all that long ago, when President Kennedy, proclaimed: "… ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country." Yet, we find that very few people feel compelled whatsoever to do anything at all for their country, specifically, in service to it, but rather prefer to appreciate the benefits of this land of liberty, freedom, and opportunity, as if these very things all have come to us without some real sacrifice having been made, especially from those that have preceded us. Regrettably, those that don't appreciate what has cost so many, so much, aren't going to be the best guardians of what America at its best, so represents, if they never have skin in the game of their country, and care not to change that.
As it has been said, freedom is not free, but what we find is that millions of Americans apparently don't believe that, because they are only too willing, rich or poor, to believe that they need not do a thing in order to contribute their part to the betterment of this country. So that, in order to change that entitled mindset, it would behoove America, to pass a national legislative act, that mandates that each American is required to serve their country for a period of ninety days, within the ages of eighteen to twenty-six, which would seem thereof to be a small enough length of time, that it would not disrupt those that are set to go to college, or to other activities, so planned, or anticipated; yet, a long enough period of time that some good service to that country would be made.
It almost goes without saying, that there is plenty of work that needs to be done throughout this country in regards to its infrastructure and its people, of which, that work thereby being performed, would be a material aid to that country, and would be of material benefit to its people. Those that have never been mandated to make a sacrifice, should feel what actual sacrifice consists of; so that, they would thereby have a better understanding of that which they have previously pledged their sacred allegiance to.
The dysfunction and trouble that we see so much of in present day America, is part and parcel of a country and its countrymen that are not united in much of anything; and a country of which its people are not united in their collective purpose and in their belief, is not going to be a country that will forever stand; for an unstable structure that fails to take the steps so needed to stabilize itself and to properly take whatever precautions and actions that are so needed to strengthen itself, is that country which will unravel to its own destruction.
If our present day generation will not buy into mandatory national service, then it is not thereby possible to call those young people, patriotic. For united we stand, and divided we fall; of which, the least anyone that is a citizen of this country should do, is to willingly provide some degree of service to that country, or if not, ask nothing of that country, for having done nothing for it, that country surely owes that individual, nothing in return.