Mary Pitt praises Peace Corps



The Peace Corps was started during the Kennedy years, continued through the Johnson administration, all through Nixon/Ford and, wherever these volunteers went, they created a love and admiration for the United States that went beyond diplomacy and international deals.

Mary Pitt praises Peace Corps

WHAT IF.....

by Mary Pitt

Caption: The photo above is for illustrative purposes only and is *not* Aunt Tildie.

As I waited for Aunt Tildie to answer her door, I was feeling pangs of guilt for having neglected my regular schedule of calling on her. We speak daily by phone and she does have activities, but I hadn't actually seen her for some time. The need is mine rather than hers, for I find she does have a way of "picking me up"!

[Excerpt]

Aunt Tildie carried on without a break, "What if the Peace Corps had not been allowed to wither on the vine? That was such a successful program, sending young people out into the world to help and to teach people in disadvantaged countries to improve their means of living by better farming methods, digging wells for clean water, establishing schools for the youngsters and training medical people to advance their health care.

"Soon older people were enrolling, too, retirees who had time and wanted to leave the world a better place. Even "Miss Lillian" Carter, the mother of our future President served a hitch with the Peace Corps and valued the experience the same as the ones who were younger do, as one of the most important in their lives. All those who volunteered loved their work and the people they helped loved them! In Africa, Southeast Asia, Central America and the Caribbean, the residents took those people to their hearts because they were willing to get right in and work with them instead of simply sending money and issuing orders. It was terrific!"

Then she proceeded to remind me, "The Peace Corps was started during the Kennedy years, continued through the Johnson administration, all through Nixon/Ford and, wherever these volunteers went, they created a love and admiration for the United States that went beyond diplomacy and international deals. No big money was doled out, very little was given by way of handouts. The people were simply taught and helped to learn how to do things so that they could improve their own lives.

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



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American Taboo: A Peace Corps Tragedy Returned Volunteers met with author Philip Weiss in Baltimore on June 18 to discuss the murder of Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner. Weiss was a member of a panel that included three psychiatrists and a criminal attorney. Meanwhile, the Seattle U.S. Attorney's office announced that Dennis Priven cannot be retried for the murder. "We do not believe this case can be prosecuted by anyone, not only us, but in any other jurisdiction in the United States." Read background on the case here.

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June 16, 2005: Special Events Philip Weiss, PCV murder writer, speaks in Baltimore June 18 "Rainforests and Refugees" showing in Portland, Maine until June 25 "Iowa in Ghana" on exhibit in Waterloo through June 30 NPCA to hold Virtual Leaders Forum on July 29 RPCV's "Taking the Early Bus" at Cal State until Aug 15 "Artists and Patrons in Traditional African Cultures" in NY thru Sept 30 RPCVs: Post your stories or press releases here for inclusion next week.

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June 14: Peace Corps suspends Haiti program After Uzbekistan, the Peace Corps has announced the suspension of a second program this month - this time in Haiti. Background: The suspension comes after a US Embassy warning, a request from Tom Lantos' office, and the program suspension last year. For the record: PCOL supports Peace Corps' decision to suspend the two programs and commends the agency for the efficient way PCVs were evacuated safely. Our only concern now is with the placement of evacuated PCVs and the support they receive after interrupted service.

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June 6: PC suspends Uzbekistan program Peace Corps has announced that it is suspending the Uzbekistan program after the visas of 52 Peace Corps volunteers who arrived in January were not renewed. The suspension comes after a State Department warning that terrorist groups may be planning attacks in Uzbekistan and after the killings in Andizhan earlier in May. Background: PCOL published a report on April 23 that Peace Corps volunteers who arrived in January were having visa difficulties and reported on safety and visa issues in Uzbekistan as they developed.

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June 6, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Kinky Friedman will "sign anything except bad legislation" 6 Jun Niels Marquardt Makes Chimpanzee Protection a Priority 6 Jun Laurence Leamer needs approval for "Today" appearance 6 Jun Desperate Housewives' Ricardo Chavira is son of RPCVs 6 Jun Anthony Sandberg runs Berkeley sailing school 5 Jun Amy Smith field-tests sugarcane charcoal 5 Jun Mary Johnson organizes workshop on genocide 3 Jun Jonathan Lash in 100 most Influential Business Leaders 3 Jun Hastert jump-starts Chris Shays' Campaign 3 Jun John Coyne says 41 RPCVs applied for scholarships 3 Jun James Rupert writes on bombing in Kandahar mosque 1 Jun John McCain says to expand opportunities for service 1 Jun Jay Rockefeller's relationships with Japanese go way back 1 Jun Anat Shenker met her husband during service in Honduras 31 May Ryan Clancy punished without hearing for visiting Iraq 30 May Melissa Mosvick remembered as a fallen American hero 29 May Kurt Carlson played basketball against Togo's national team 29 May Helen Thomas's favorite president remains JFK 24 May

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