February 14, 2005: Headlines: Parents: Hippies: Counseling: Humor: Dr. Brothers: Drugs: Unemployment: Seattle Post Intelligencer: Help! Our son wants to join the Peace Corps! As we recall from the 1960s, that's mostly a bunch of hippies or druggies wasting time instead of working.

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Library: Peace Corps: Humor : Humor and the Peace Corps: February 14, 2005: Headlines: Parents: Hippies: Counseling: Humor: Dr. Brothers: Drugs: Unemployment: Seattle Post Intelligencer: Help! Our son wants to join the Peace Corps! As we recall from the 1960s, that's mostly a bunch of hippies or druggies wasting time instead of working.

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-141-157-21-200.balt.east.verizon.net - 141.157.21.200) on Friday, February 18, 2005 - 9:43 pm: Edit Post

Help! Our son wants to join the Peace Corps! As we recall from the 1960s, that's mostly a bunch of hippies or druggies wasting time instead of working.

Help! Our son wants to join the Peace Corps! As we recall from the 1960s, that's mostly a bunch of hippies or druggies wasting time instead of working.

Help! Our son wants to join the Peace Corps! As we recall from the 1960s, that's mostly a bunch of hippies or druggies wasting time instead of working.

Help! Our son wants to join the Peace Corps! As we recall from the 1960s, that's mostly a bunch of hippies or druggies wasting time instead of working.

Caption: Time Magazine cover on "The Hippies" from July 7, 1967.

Dear Dr. Brothers:


DEAR DR. BROTHERS: My husband and I are very upset at the course of action our son is planning to take after he graduates from college this summer. He has worked hard and is getting a degree in business, so naturally we assumed he'd be landing a good job. But now he says he wants to join the Peace Corps! As we recall from the 1960s, that's mostly a bunch of hippies or druggies wasting time instead of working. We are having no luck changing his mind. Should we let him go, in the interest of peace in the family, even though we don't approve? -- T.C.

 Time Magazine cover on "The Peace Corps" from July 5, 1963. The Peace Corps started in 1961.

Time Magazine cover on "The Peace Corps" from July 5, 1963.

Dear T.C.:


DEAR T.C.: Wow, it sounds as though your son was born about 30 years too late, for when the Peace Corps was first on the scene, it was thought of as a terribly important and generous way to help less fortunate people while at the same time seeing the world -- or at least an unfamiliar and interesting community. Now, in the face of a greedier time, we are expected to gravitate toward the higher-paying, prestige-loaded job at the expense of doing good.

I think it would be very big of you to support your son's decision. Remember, the Peace Corps is a limited assignment, and it might help him clarify his life's path, as there are valuable lessons to be learned in this type of foreign affair. After his service is done, there is plenty of time for him to go the corporate route, if that is the right one for him. I think you should be proud of your son for his independent thinking and altruistic spirit. Regardless of what first job he chooses, it will be a time of learning and self-discovery, as well as a period of forming values. He obviously doesn't care much for yours. And perhaps you should take a look at why not.





When this story was posted in February 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

The Peace Corps Library Date: February 7 2005 No: 438 The Peace Corps Library
Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in over 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related reference material in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can use the Main Index to find hundreds of stories about RPCVs who have your same interests, who served in your Country of Service, or who serve in your state.

WWII participants became RPCVs Date: February 13 2005 No: 442 WWII participants became RPCVs
Read about two RPCVs who participated in World War II in very different ways long before there was a Peace Corps. Retired Rear Adm. Francis J. Thomas (RPCV Fiji), a decorated hero of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, died Friday, Jan. 21, 2005 at 100. Mary Smeltzer (RPCV Botswana), 89, followed her Japanese students into WWII internment camps. We honor both RPCVs for their service.

February 12, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Date: February 12 2005 No: 443 February 12, 2005: This Week's Top Stories
Peter McPherson keeping busy in DC 12 Feb
Martha Ryan wins Award for pre-natal program 12 Feb
John Perkins reveals dark side of U.S. aid 10 Feb
Kathleen DeBold involved in lesbian activism 10 Feb
Jim Doyle to fix Wisconsin deficit without raising taxes 10 Feb
Chris Dodd proposes Class Action Fairness Act 10 Feb
RPCVs create Tsunami Assistance Project for India 9 Feb
Donna Shalala talks about her Peace Corps days 8 Feb
Senator Frist proposes Global Health Corps 8 Feb
Bush's budget to end Perkins loan forgiveness for PCVs 8 Feb
Tom Petri's Direct Loan Reward Act to save $18 billion 8 Feb
Izaak Edvalson helps educate a Doctor 7 Feb
Carol Bellamy condemns Female genital mutilation 7 Feb
Carl Pope criticizes Bush environmental priorities 7 Feb
Mike Tidwell defends wind farms 6 Feb
Kinky Friedman for real? Voters may not care 5 Feb
Bruce Anderson's Newspaper folds amid money woes 5 Feb

Bush's FY06 Budget for the Peace Corps Date: February 7 2005 No: 436 Bush's FY06 Budget for the Peace Corps
The White House is proposing $345 Million for the Peace Corps for FY06 - a $27.7 Million (8.7%) increase that would allow at least two new posts and maintain the existing number of volunteers at approximately 7,700. Bush's 2002 proposal to double the Peace Corps to 14,000 volunteers appears to have been forgotten. The proposed budget still needs to be approved by Congress.
RPCVs mobilize support for Countries of Service Date: January 30 2005 No: 405 RPCVs mobilize support for Countries of Service
RPCV Groups mobilize to support their Countries of Service. Over 200 RPCVS have already applied to the Crisis Corps to provide Tsunami Recovery aid, RPCVs have written a letter urging President Bush and Congress to aid Democracy in Ukraine, and RPCVs are writing NBC about a recent episode of the "West Wing" and asking them to get their facts right about Turkey.
RPCVs contend for Academy Awards  Date: January 31 2005 No: 416 RPCVs contend for Academy Awards
Bolivia RPCV Taylor Hackford's film "Ray" is up for awards in six categories including best picture, best actor and best director. "Autism Is a World" co-produced by Sierra Leone RPCV Douglas Biklen and nominated for best Documentary Short Subject, seeks to increase awareness of developmental disabilities. Colombian film "El Rey," previously in the running for the foreign-language award, includes the urban legend that PCVs teamed up with El Rey to bring cocaine to U.S. soil.
Ask Not Date: January 18 2005 No: 388 Ask Not
As our country prepares for the inauguration of a President, we remember one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century and how his words inspired us. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."
Coleman: Peace Corps mission and expansion Date: January 8 2005 No: 373 Coleman: Peace Corps mission and expansion
Senator Norm Coleman, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that oversees the Peace Corps, says in an op-ed, A chance to show the world America at its best: "Even as that worthy agency mobilizes a "Crisis Corps" of former Peace Corps volunteers to assist with tsunami relief, I believe an opportunity exists to rededicate ourselves to the mission of the Peace Corps and its expansion to touch more and more lives."
RPCVs active in new session of Congress Date: January 8 2005 No: 374 RPCVs active in new session of Congress
In the new session of Congress that begins this week, RPCV Congressman Tom Petri has a proposal to bolster Social Security, Sam Farr supported the objection to the Electoral College count, James Walsh has asked for a waiver to continue heading a powerful Appropriations subcommittee, Chris Shays will no longer be vice chairman of the Budget Committee, and Mike Honda spoke on the floor honoring late Congressman Robert Matsui.
RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid  Date: January 4 2005 No: 366 Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid
Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help?

Read the stories and leave your comments.






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Story Source: Seattle Post Intelligencer

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Parents; Hippies; Counseling; Humor; Dr. Brothers; Drugs; Unemployment

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