to graduate. Today’s youth should be responsible for community service. They have the energy and the enthusiasm, they have the time, and if anything, they’ll serve the community that they’ll grow up in, and maybe even their children will grow up in.Or maybe community service should be the responsibility of the citizens who cannot abide by the law of the land. The citizen who jeopardizes the safety of the community should be obligated to give back to the community what he or she has taken from it.The average number of community service hours ordered for an offense between 1997 and 1998 was 100 hours. Negligent driving was punished by 150 hours of community service, arson 175, and robbery 200 hours. So if you think about it, if a person was driving drunk, decided to rob a store, then got scared and set the store on fire, they would be serving the community 525 hours. Can you imagine? What a citizen! 525 hours of community service! Now that’s admirable, community service must be their responsibility. President Clinton said in him memorandum to the executive departments and agencies that, “community service is a great American tradition and a profound expression of the civic values that bind us together as a Nation”. So whose responsibility is community service really? It’s mine, its yours, its even the lovely lady in the blue’s responsibility. Those who prosper, use, or simply even live and are safe in our community are obligated to a certain degree to give back to the community.The people who work in San Mateo County’s businesses can give a small donation to their local Park and Recreation Department, for better uniforms and more equipment. High school students who have reaped the benefits of San Mateo County’s excellent public education can help a nearby elementary schoolteacher correct papers. Children who have a safe place to play can pick up a candy wrapper on ...
