Do Americans Owe Service to the Nation?
September 17, 2007 Why does the idea of national service never cease to attract American intellectuals? Every few years some prominent thinker proposes that young Americans serve their country in either a civilian or military capacity. Such service is always promised to have a profound effect on both the nation and the people doing the serving. The latest example comes from Time magazine managing editor Richard Stengel. In his September 10 cover article, A Time to Serve, Stengel laments a lack of involvement in civic life by Americans. Too many people do nothing more than vote and pay taxes, he says. Well of course they pay taxes. They are threatened with prison if they don t. Stengel is convinced that if the republic is to survive, young people must serve. He cites the Founders as authorities on the need to exert effort in order to keep the republic, but he is on somewhat weak ground here. There are Founders and then there are Founders. The Founders known as the Anti-Federalists thoug
