Thailand RPCV H. William Batt says it's foolish to think Peace Corps can fix U.S. image
Foolish to think Peace Corps can fix U.S. image
First published: Friday, May 14, 2004
"Kerry: Peace Corps can help heal Iraqi abuse damage," reads the May 9 news headline.
Is he kidding? I was proud to serve in 1962 when Kennedy first inaugurated the program. In fact my number -- they gave us numbers then -- was 460, and I proudly set off for Northern Thailand. Today, I think I'd be embarrassed to serve, unless the U.S. foreign policy agenda was a bit more enlightened.
It's not so much that it's more dangerous for Americans abroad today; those concerns always existed, mostly due to sickness and accidents. It's rather that Peace Corps volunteers are asked not to speak about policy matters; in fact, some have been dismissed for having done so.
By being silent, one is tacitly identified with American government policies. And who would wish to be identified with that policy agenda today? And how do we know that Kerry's agenda will be very much different?
We've seen a number of American foreign service officers resign their posts rather than do the bidding of the American government internationally; one of them was a guest in Albany last month as the speaker for the Unitarian Universalist Society's annual Channing Lecture.
In his resignation letter to Secretary Colin Powell, he said, "I cannot in good conscience support President Bush's war plans against Iraq." The list of those so disillusioned grows by the month.
I would gladly serve in a United Nations Peace Corps, and some Americans do so today. But, sadly, it has become very difficult to reconcile one's conscience with American government policy in the current political environment.
Kerry should not assume that he can cynically rely on idealistic Peace Corps volunteers to pull U.S. government chestnuts out of the fire.
H. WILLIAM BATT
Albany
