Writing in the June edition of the monthly US magazine, The Atlantic, in an article entitled: "How to Turn Republicans and Democrats Into Americans - An insider’s six-step plan to fix Congress", Mickey Edwards said, inter alia:
"....No matter who was put in charge, things didn’t get better. They won’t this time, either; spending levels may go down, taxes may go up, budgets will change, but American government will go on the way it has, not as a collective enterprise but as a battle between warring tribes.
If we are truly a democracy —if voters get to size up candidates for a public office and choose the one they want — why don’t the elections seem to change anything?
Because we elect our leaders, and they then govern, in a system that makes cooperation almost impossible and incivility nearly inevitable, a system in which the campaign season never ends and the struggle for party advantage trumps all other considerations."
Mickey Edwards' description of the partisan nature of American politics, mirrors the negative situation in our homeland Ghana today, sadly.
Consequently, as an encouragement to those enlightened, independent-minded and discerning members of the young generation of Ghanaians, who abhor the shameful prejudice of tribalism and the divisiveness of the narrow-minded thinking, which makes some in their midst, and in other sections of Ghanaian society, to often say: "Always for party and tribe - whether right or wrong!", I am posting an email sent out to colleagues, by their counterparts who are members of Americans for Informed Democracy - which has a membership in university campuses right across America.
One hopes and prays that Ghana's crop of independent-minded young people, who have love of country and a desire to serve their fellow human beings less fortunate than themselves, will aspire to setting up a similar organisation in university campuses across Ghana.
One hopes that they will make contact with their peers in Americans for Informed Democracy - and collaborate to set up a similar organisation in Ghana.
Their aim in so doing, must be to encourage a sense of patriotism and a positive world-view, amongst the youth of Ghana, which will always make them put the national interest first (meaning what is beneficial to a majority of Ghanaians and the Ghanaian nation-state, at any point in time, in any given situation, in our national life).
Perhaps it is they who will eventually save our nation, from the debilitating effects of the divisive and negative politics of the older generation of Ghanaians - and their unprincipled and greedy lackeys amongst the young generation of Ghaianas: whom they have unfortunately infected with their negativity. Please read on:
"Dear FirstNameKofi:
The time has come. The time to rise up. To learn more. To speak out.
We are barraged with media, advertising and spin. Too often the issues we care about don't get the serious attention they deserve.
But we can change that. This summer, Americans for Informed Democracy is issuing a call for concerned young people interested in leading national conversations and campaigns around critical global issues like climate change, security, food and global health.
We need you to help us influence the debate around these critical topics, keeping them on the public radar alongside pressing domestic issues. Because the security, health and happiness of young people around the globe affects us all.Will you join us? You don't need to be a seasoned activist or organizer, just someone with the drive and energy to make a difference. Here's how:
1. Join a campaign team. Teams lead AIDemocracy's national-level work educating and mobilizing students to take action. We are looking for the following positions for each of our four campaign teams: Security, Climate Change, Food Security and Sex & Justice (so yes, there are a total of 16 positions!):•
Coordinator: recruits, supports and inspires a team of 4-8 students working on the issue.•
Issue Analyst: provides thoughtful analysis and commentary on relevant national and foreign policy issues.•
Organizer: identifies, recruits and mobilizes other young people from across the US around the issue.•
Communications Guru: directs our use of print and new media around the issue, including blogs, Facebook and Twitter. These are excellent opportunities to build leadership, organizing, policy analysis and communications skills.
Find out more on our website.
2. Talk about sex. And maternal health. And much more, as one of our Global Health Fellows! Fellows lead conversations around key global health challenges, benefit from in-depth issue and advocacy training, and inspire their peers to take action. Find out more on our website.
3. Bring it all home. Our Security Campaign Team is also recruiting 'What's It To Me?' Bloggers. Bloggers write monthly posts exposing the links between global security issues and local communities in the United States. Find our more on our website.
All positions are for the 2011-12 academic year. To apply: Please send a resume and statement of interest to opportunities@aidemocracy.org. You do *not* need extensive experience to apply; they are learning opportunities.
Positions will be filled on a rolling basis. Feel free to contact us with questions about the positions. Find out more on our website.Thank you for helping us build a more peaceful, healthy, just and sustainable world. Now let's do this!
Karen, Patrick, Ian, Rachel, Kait, Tracy, Bill, Anton, Yasmine, Scott and the rest of the AIDemocracy team.
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