What have ou done for your country?
By kaliyha
@kaliyha (591)
Philippines
December 13, 2008 1:50am CST
"Ask not what your country can do for you- ask what have you done for your country."
- John F. Kennedy
Yesterday, a lot of people were protesting on the streets asking for the President to resign. I was one of those people once but after graduating in College I have become jaded.
Everywhere in the Philippines, there is always someone complaining about the state of our nation. For some people, isn't it a bit hypocritical that they complain but when you look at it, they have done nothing to help our country?
How about you, what have you done to help your country recently?
4 people like this
22 responses
@grandpa_lash (5225)
• Australia
13 Dec 08
I have an odd approach to this subject. I always thought that the government is not the country, it is merely the administrator of the country on the people's behalf. Yet most senior politicians seem to think that they themselves are the country, and when they ask you to do something for your country, they really mean to do something for them. This leads to the understanding that the question really should be, what can your country do for you.
Of course you have to play your part in keeping the country able to do something for you, like work, and defend it (that means go to war on its behalf only if it is attacked, not because some politicians have made a deal with some politicians from another country).
But the question asked the other way assumes that the country is more than the place you and yours live in, that it has an existence of its own apart from its people. It's not, a country is only a geographical area.
Lash
2 people like this
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
14 Dec 08
I quite agree with you. Politicians are just ordinary people and they only represent us as administrators of the country, they are not the country but they seem to think that being elected gives them the power of gods to do as they please and harass any one who does not agree with them.
That is why some refuse to accept it when they lose the election and they refuse to step down and become dictators. I am not a selfless person that will let some politician walk all over me just because he won an election for a year or 2.
@lyy284891086 (623)
• China
13 Dec 08
to myself i think i just need to try my best to keep myself .i just need to finish my work in time and proper .it is the best i have do to help my country. do you think so .not everyone can did so good !
1 person likes this
@GhostCat (313)
• United States
14 Dec 08
I don't think everyone has to do great things. I think we all have to do what we can. Part of that is just being the best civic citizen we can. Participate in government to the best of your ability, vote, be an informed citizen. Pay attention to what is going on in your local community and do what you can there. If you can make life a little better for your next door neighbor or the children who live on your block, you've done a lot. A county is made up of a lot of small communities and it is the welfare of each of these communities that make up the welfare of the country. What is really helpful, is not the grandiose things but the simple little things that no one wants to brag about, and no one really wants to do, like picking up trash in the park, or getting your neighbors together to help someone who can't help themselves.
But a really good start is to finish your work in time and proper and to do the best your can. I think that you are doing fine right now. When and if you can do more I am sure you will jump in a do it. Good Luck. Happy Holidays. Happy mylotting.
@nimnim74 (250)
• Philippines
13 Dec 08
I am just an ordinary citizen in this country and i love Philippines very much and tried my best to be productive rather than just passive and wait for what my country can do for me but for your post what have I done for my country, in my own little way I am a caregiver trainer and we have graduates every month and every month almost 5-6 caregivers would go abroad and land a beautiful life, I guess in training them I was able to help the economy of our country also.
1 person likes this
@sixclix (677)
• Philippines
13 Dec 08
We can help our country by helping ourselves. People cannot wait on their government for help and for change. Politicians won't change unless they are changed by the people. People should help each other in terms of education, health, and other concerns of society. People who have more should contribute more to those who have nothing, for example by supporting NGO's that are advocating reforms on education, health, etc., and big companies themselves should provide higher wages without the instance of government.
Once the people are educated, the middle class strengthened, these politicians should be kicked out of office by the boot of the ballot.
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
14 Dec 08
That comment only ever works in war. Politicians are supposed to take care of the country and they do not do this very well that is why people get angry. I would get angry too if the people I elected did nothing to make my country a better place to live for everyone.
After all that is why people vote for them and if they cannot do it then you want someone who can.
@finescribe (199)
• Philippines
14 Dec 08
Nothing More I can say but this country is full of ego-maniacs!
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@ayenacsi (910)
• Philippines
13 Dec 08
Every little citizen has his own duties I think. And if you would take the time to ask them what are they doing to help the country, I think they would say that it is their duty to be the voice of their fellow countrymen. Not anybody can go to the streets out in the sun and voice their opinions. The common citizen would rather get on with their work. I think that in their own way they do help to express the dissatisfaction of the government of the lowly citizens.
1 person likes this
@finescribe (199)
• Philippines
14 Dec 08
The question is what has been done in Manila that everyone else in the rest of the islands are being affected.
To tell you, we do not care what will happen to that stupid politicizing of people in Manila. We even want to have changes especially a shift from Presidential form to Federalism. In that way, we would be getting the tax.
While Manila is disturbed by those Anti- Charter Change Rally, here in Cebu, it is always business as usual.
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@finescribe (199)
• Philippines
14 Dec 08
I really could not understand why those people in Manila are getting some noise. this country is run by idiots that are lodged in Manila!
@kaliyha (591)
• Philippines
14 Dec 08
Yes it's the same here in Iloilo too finescribe. A lot of people here doesn't care for the "we are the capital, so we are the voice of the country" attitude of some people in Manila. It's not because we are full of apathy, but we just have a different way of doing things.
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@smartie0317 (1610)
• United States
13 Dec 08
I guess it depends on what you mean by help your country. America, where I am from and have always lived, is very flawed coun try right now. However, it's still my home and I want to make it better. I just try to support the economy and local business. I used to buy things from foreign countries, but now stick to things made in America and local businesses. I also tutor young children for free. I don't know if that's "helping my country", but I try to help people, too.
1 person likes this
@saichandtalluri (1486)
• India
13 Dec 08
Yes i have done nothing for my country but i wanted to do so i went to join the army but they rejected so where is the chance to serve the country
@saichandtalluri (1486)
• India
14 Dec 08
Yes but i did not get that idea at that time not my age is not according to the to join civil services
@TrayBlaylock (630)
• United States
14 Dec 08
I went to Military School and racked up tons of hours of community service. These hours of community service could have been done by actual military men but since it was small acts, my company of cadets did it instead. I would love to believe that is helping my country.
@palonghorn (5479)
• United States
14 Dec 08
i have supported our troops from day one, one of which is my son-in-law. i never forget those that have given their lives to make this country better. i also appreciate all of those that serve right here at home, our law enforcement officers (which i live with one), our fire fighters (of which i am a wildland fire fighter and was a volunteer firefighter for 9 years) and all the others that serve in one aspect or another. i show respect to the flag and national anthem. and no matter the economy, politics, i know i still live in the 'land of the free, and the home of the brave'.
@jewilim (495)
• Philippines
14 Dec 08
I think i haven't really dont that much for my country but i know i had been a very good citizen and i have always been abiding by the laws. I know just by being a good citizen and being law abiding is already something for a country even if you would look at it as something small thing to do. But if you would thing that if all people could just abide by the laws and be a good citizen we could actually make a big change to the country. Being a good citizen does not only mean abiding the laws but caring also for your country, this would include little things like keeping the place clean and not throwing your trash anywhere obeying simple rules. I think doing those things is already something if done by a lot of people. I know its really hard for one person to make a change because if only one person would be doing this he/she could not make a difference. So i think if people would just be doing all these a the same time they could really make a change for the country.
@Erssyl (617)
• Philippines
14 Dec 08
Yes I agree with you.Most of the people I see in television who protest is only there because they have nothing to do in their life,they want popularity others just want to be paid.It is good if they are really protesting on the right issue.You are right again to say they are only hypocrites who always complain of land for the landless.Why is it others work very hard to earn money to buy a piece of land for their homes while others want to acquire land by joining squatters protest.I don't know how the government have been dealing with the syndicated squatters.
As for me I want a quiet life I pay my tax even sometimes against my will seeing
the government officials waste for useless projects.Secured the education of my children,so they can be use full citizen.My daughter is a doctor and I'm glad she can serve people here in our country.Even it is very hard to earn big money here she chose not to go out of the country to help people here in our country.I feel I have contributed something good too.
@rogerfederer (81)
•
15 Dec 08
Miss Kaliyha,
I was also a street parliamentarian during my student days. When I started working, I no longer had the luxury of time and stopped joining rallies. For the past five years, my load has been such that I now keep wishing for extra holidays so that I can work and hope to finish or reduce my pending work.
However, I strongly agree with the people in the rallies that they should voice out their convictions because this right of expression is guaranteed by the Constitution and is also enshrined in the Bill of Rights and must not be questioned by anyone for whatever reason for as long as the rallyists are not doing anything that is against the law. It is much better for them to air their views and sentiments on the streets rather than for them to go up to the mountains and take arms. You, being a rallyist once must surely know this.
If you question their intentions because you feel that they may not have done much for their country, isn't that an unfair generalization? May I know if you are with them the whole 24 hours every day so as to arrive at that conclusion and thereby question their activities?
Aside from having my own business, I have been with an NGO for the past ten years where I am engaged in various community projects that help tribal communities in the distant and God-forsaken upland areas. I used to feel very good and even proud of myself for being a part of this endeavor. I would proudly have said that I was really doing something for my country. But am I really doing enough? Are similar activities comprehensive enough to alleviate the plight of the poor and needy? And are such programs enough to serve as valid solutions to the country's myriad woes?
I studied economics in the state university and was lucky enough to get two scholarships to have further studies in foreign universities. Various studies in volumes of documented researches tell me that I should not and cannot ignore the facts that inadvertently nag and confront me - corruption in the Arroyo government is prevalent and insidious. The inability of the Arroyo administration to reduce corruption that is widely perceived to be done by the high and the mighty and their families and relatives; and the mismanagement and mis-use of meager state funds tell me that the present administration does not have the right to govern as it keeps on bleeding the country dry. The international financial circles talk about these socio-political nuances all the time. Even the Asian Development Bank has boldly written Pres. Arroyo to warn her on these matters.
I shall now rejoin the very important people who are doing a lot for their country - the street parliamentarians who are in rallies - and with them, I too shall voice out my sentiments and convictions.
@hitesh576 (41)
• India
14 Dec 08
i may not have done for the country but the country has done a lot for me as per the first that is freedom for the entire india in the year 1947 and later on the legends like bhagat singh,subhash chandra bose etc.., has sacrificed their lives for the nation and the person who wrote the constitution and the first president of india and later on in sports they raised the flag and they made india the proud and prestige and the recent event of olympics the gold silver and bronze medals they become the pride
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