[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 94 (Wednesday, July 15, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1305-E1306]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          CIVIC PARTICIPATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 15, 1998

  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert my Washington 
Report for Wednesday, July 1, 1998 into the Congressional Record.

                          Civic Participation

       One of our country's most noteworthy characteristics has 
     been the variety of organizations to which Americans belong, 
     like

[[Page E1306]]

     churches, PTAs, unions, fraternal organizations, service 
     clubs, and political parties, just to name a few. A belief in 
     the power of collective action has shaped the history of our 
     nation from the American Revolution to the civil rights 
     movement. Alexis de Tocqueville, who studied American life in 
     the 1830s, wrote that ``Americans of all ages, all stations 
     in life, and all types of disposition are forever forming 
     associations.'' I am always impressed by how these 
     organizations bring out the energy and talents in people. 
     Every problem in the country I encounter is being addressed 
     and ameliorated by some group.
       But I am concerned about declining involvement of citizens 
     in the community. In recent decades, many traditional 
     community organizations have suffered declines in membership 
     and participation. For example, the number of volunteers for 
     the Boy Scouts and the Red Cross has dropped substantially 
     since 1970; labor union participation has dropped by half 
     since the mid-1950s; the League of Women Voters, Jaycees, and 
     Lions have all seen double-digit drops in membership levels 
     in the last 20 or 30 years. Anyone who has worked in an 
     enterprise that depends on volunteers knows how difficult it 
     is to recruit and keep them.
       Several possible explanations for this change have been 
     suggested. Some say that stagnant wages and a rapidly 
     changing economy, coupled with the movement of women into the 
     labor force, mean that citizens don't have the time to devote 
     to community causes they once did. Americans now tend to move 
     more often, hindering their ability to put down roots. In 
     addition, adults are marrying later, divorcing more, and 
     having fewer children than they did a generation ago--
     significant factors given that married, middle-class parents 
     are the most likely to be civically involved.
       Others note that technology, particularly the advent of the 
     TV, has dramatically changed the way we spend our leisure 
     time. Instead of going to a dance at the local lodge or 
     gathering at the coffee shop, we may watch a movie on the VCR 
     or log on to an Internet chat room. Technology allows us to 
     spend less time in face-to-face contact with our neighbors. 
     Americans' civic involvement seems to parallel the change in 
     leisure activities. Although traditional civic organizations 
     are less popular now, other groups, like the Sierra Club and 
     the American Association of Retired Persons, have grown in 
     recent years. For many, though, membership consists primarily 
     of paying dues and reading a newsletter, rather than 
     attending regular meetings and planning events. Many 
     professional associations have also grown, and for some of us 
     the workplace has supplanted the neighborhood as our primary 
     focus for social interaction.
       Why civic involvement matters: Communities benefit in a 
     number of ways from the active involvement of citizens. 
     First, citizens come to feel a greater stake in the 
     community's welfare. I visit many schools in southern Indiana 
     every year, and it is clear that one of the strongest factors 
     in the quality of the school is the involvement of the 
     parents. Many anti-crime programs have become successful only 
     because citizens came together to address the problem.
       Second, civic organizations have always sought to address 
     problems the government didn't or couldn't solve. Voluntary 
     efforts continue to play a huge role in the provision of 
     services to needy Americans--from food banks to pre-school 
     programs. Americans have always been suspicious of big 
     government, but they also have a strong sense of compassion. 
     Civic organizations allow them to reach out to those who need 
     help.
       Third, civic participation can act as a buffer against the 
     potent forces of individualism--which sometimes devolves into 
     selfishness--and allow us to exercise other important values, 
     like cooperation, altruism, and negotiation. I often find 
     Americans emphasizing freedom almost to the exclusion of 
     responsibility, and expressing their gratitude for being 
     citizens of the best country in the world while failing to 
     perceive the need to fulfill the duties of good citizenship. 
     Civic participation can remind us that along with the 
     individual liberties we prize comes responsibility to seek 
     the common good. Working with others toward a shared goal 
     also helps build bonds of trust, thus serving as an antidote 
     to cynicism.
       Fourth, civic participation also fosters participation in 
     the political process. In southern Indiana the people who 
     come to my public meetings are often also the same people who 
     are active in civic organizations. They take seriously their 
     right and responsibility to participate in government. And 
     the skills of negotiation and compromise learned through 
     civic involvement are the lifeblood of democracy.
       Conclusion: Fortunately, we still have many groups that 
     have a remarkably salutary effect, channeling the energy and 
     talents of individuals into public service for the betterment 
     of the community. Civic participation is not obsolete, but an 
     essential part of improving the quality of life in the 
     nation. Americans, I believe, retain their desire to help 
     their families and communities, but they must do it within 
     the realities of two-career families, hectic lifestyles, and 
     rapid changes in the economy and in their careers.
       We have to work to strengthen civil society. Ultimately, 
     this will depend not on government, but the acts of 
     individuals. We do have to be sensitive to the way in which 
     government can impinge on the activities of civil society and 
     to the manner in which the workings of our government and 
     economy can disrupt the good efforts of individuals and 
     families. Dismantling the government is not the answer, but 
     neither is more government. Both a prudent but limited role 
     for government and a strengthened civil society are needed.
       I am not suggesting that we could or should try to turn 
     back the clock to the 1950s, or that all hope is lost. A 
     recent poll of young adults showed high levels of interest in 
     public service. We should, however, think about ways to 
     reinvigorate civic life in light of the realities of the 
     1990s, and try harder to find ways to encourage Americans to 
     become full participants in the civic life of the nation.

     

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