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Friday, March 21, 2003 Page: 7A
In response to his letter of March 17th, I would like turn the question
around on Mr. Krzywicki of Nanticoke: What do you, as an American citizen, do
to make the U.S. better, safer? You stated that you are willing to fight for
the advantages we enjoy in our country. I ask you, are you willing to do so by
other than military means? Do you volunteer your time and energy in service to
your community, your church (synagogue or mosque), your children’s school, in
support of your local fire and police departments, to the preservation of the
environment for future generations?
If time and energy are at a premium (which one might question depending on
the amount of time spent cruising on the highway listening to CDs, flipping
through 79 channels and surfing the Internet), do you make at least some small
financial donation to organizations that do make significant contributions in
service to the above?
If in reasonable physical condition (also in question given the beer and
cigarettes and time spent in the aforementioned activities), do you donate
blood to the American Red Cross?
Do you share the household responsibilities with your spouse while she is
off at work and you are at home enjoying some spur of the ~moment v-time? Are
you involved in a positive way in your children’s lives? Do they know that you
are always there for them? Do you encourage them, both by word and example, to
be good citizens?
Have you ever considered mentoring a child (who might not have had the
apparent advantages, good fortune and role models you have had in your life)
to show how hard work and a good education can help us better our
circumstances, or to just be there to lend a compassionate ear?
Other than scanning the newspaper to glean entertainment from the goings on
down at Wilkes-Barre and the courthouse, do you keep yourself a reasonably
informed citizen and involve yourself in any~ way in the political process, at
the very least by regularly voting in local, state and national elections? Are
you willing to support another citizen’s freedom of speech, even if their
views run counter to your own?
Do you stand on the side of ethics and integrity in your workplace? Do you
contribute an honest days work on a regular basis to your place of employment
(even when management might seem a little pesky) thereby helping to ensure its
success in the business community and by so doing, in some small way,
contribute to the economic security of our country?
Mind you, I don’t begrudge the need to take some time to just kick back and
put the cares of the world aside, if for just a short time. God knows I have
been there many times. And if you can answer yes to AT LEAST FOUR of these
questions (to include at a bare minimum meeting your responsibilities to your
family, your job and to being an informed voting citizen, plus one more of
your choosing) then I have no major argument (maybe a few minor ones) with
your expectations of newcomers to this country.
If, however, you feel your are entitled to all the rights and privileges of
being an American citizen purely through the good fortune of being born here,
I say to you, look in the mirror and answer this one question: What are you
doing to make America a better place to live?
Clare Leary
Dallas