Comments on: Tino Calabia (Peru 1963-65) “Reflections After Kennedy Center Premier of Choral Performance Celebrating JFK” http://peacecorpsworldwide.org/babbles/2013/02/04/reflections/ John Coyne Babbles is a collection of comments, opinions, musings, and outrages from this RPCV who served with the first group (1962-64) in Ethiopia. Tue, 21 May 2013 15:46:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Leo Cecchini http://peacecorpsworldwide.org/babbles/2013/02/04/reflections/comment-page-1/#comment-2888 Leo Cecchini Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:20:09 +0000 http://peacecorpsworldwide.org/babbles/?p=6851#comment-2888 Tino. Lack of a large RPCV population is part of the reason that most Americans have forgotten the Peace Corps or rather believe that it is no longer in business. If we had 2 million RPCVs our countrymen would be kept better informed of what is happening now. There is also precious little media attention given to the PC today as opposed to massive coverage during the Kennedy days. Why youngsters do not volunteer as readily as we did in the 1960s beats me too. I suspect poor economic prospects play a role here. Remember the 1960s were the most prosperous days in America's history. Youngsters are less able to delay finding their life's work now that they must take any offer they get. Tino. Lack of a large RPCV population is part of the reason that most Americans have forgotten the Peace Corps or rather believe that it is no longer in business. If we had 2 million RPCVs our countrymen would be kept better informed of what is happening now. There is also precious little media attention given to the PC today as opposed to massive coverage during the Kennedy days.

Why youngsters do not volunteer as readily as we did in the 1960s beats me too. I suspect poor economic prospects play a role here. Remember the 1960s were the most prosperous days in America’s history. Youngsters are less able to delay finding their life’s work now that they must take any offer they get.

]]> By: Tino Calabia http://peacecorpsworldwide.org/babbles/2013/02/04/reflections/comment-page-1/#comment-2887 Tino Calabia Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:01:08 +0000 http://peacecorpsworldwide.org/babbles/?p=6851#comment-2887 JOANNE: Good point. But the salute to JFK ended at 3; the Super Bowl started later. (Also, for us DC’ers, the Redskins weren’t involved.) LEO: Your question is apt: Just why do most Americans think the Peace Corps is “history”? What was it about JFK’s charisma and our hunger then to respond and do good in the Third World? Why are things in the U.S. today so different in terms of national leadership and Peace Corps voluntarism? If more people (who are today the age we were when we answered JFK’s call), were now working to remedy poverty in the U.S., I’d say some things – such as youthful idealism – may be like they were in our time, only the focus is here at home. But few graduates just coming off the campuses are turning to domestic antipoverty work. I dunno. It beats me. Saddens me, too. JOANNE: Good point. But the salute to JFK ended at 3; the Super Bowl started later. (Also, for us DC’ers, the Redskins weren’t involved.)

LEO: Your question is apt: Just why do most Americans think the Peace Corps is “history”? What was it about JFK’s charisma and our hunger then to respond and do good in the Third World? Why are things in the U.S. today so different in terms of national leadership and Peace Corps voluntarism?

If more people (who are today the age we were when we answered JFK’s call), were now working to remedy poverty in the U.S., I’d say some things – such as youthful idealism – may be like they were in our time, only the focus is here at home. But few graduates just coming off the campuses are turning to domestic antipoverty work. I dunno. It beats me. Saddens me, too.

]]> By: Joanne Roll http://peacecorpsworldwide.org/babbles/2013/02/04/reflections/comment-page-1/#comment-2886 Joanne Roll Mon, 04 Feb 2013 21:59:38 +0000 http://peacecorpsworldwide.org/babbles/?p=6851#comment-2886 Tino, Yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday, practically a national holiday. I think that may have impacted attendance. Do you? Tino,

Yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday, practically a national holiday.
I think that may have impacted attendance. Do you?

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