| Show Editors N Note ole Mothering is the Key to Solving Societal Problems By Valerie Christensen News Editor This past weekend we celebrated Mothers Mother's Day Mothers Mother's Day is a holiday that celebrates all that is traditionally thought of as a mothers mother's duties giving life nurturing teaching teaching teaching teach teach- ing caring loving It is a celebration celebration celebration tion for the one person who has effectively effectively effectively ef ef- ef- ef altered your life by small scale daily efforts Its It's the reason that all professional athletes when given the brief chance to acknowledge acknowledge acknowledge ac ac- ac- ac knowledge someone on national TV generally say Hi Mom Mothers hold a secret that few others have discovered about society It is more effective to have a large influence on a few than a small influence on many If you dont don't believe its it's true think about the things you do everyday Now you may not have had a mother perhaps someone else raised you but whoever mothered you probably had the biggest influence in your life Mothers or teach you values and behavior patterns that stay with you you for for the rest of your life The lessons given about life in quiet moments by the one who nurtured you remain with you long after college lectures and perhaps perhaps perhaps per per- haps entire college courses are for for- gotten The power of one is an incredible force in society Mothering starts with one child and grows Ask anyone sitting with their grandchildren if they cannot see their r in influence fI passed through generations Its It's too bad the government doesn't apply the concept of mothering when they set about to manage the affairs of our country The government is one of those who paint with the broad brush who have a small influence on the masses and think that influence is sufficient to render change The government thinks it can legislate reform welfare reform the war against drugs equal opportunity etc The truth is that government legislation is powerless to reform anyone Legislation can force people to comply to certain standards but it cannot change feelings or attitudes It would be wiser for the government government government govern govern- ment to stop constricting our Constitutional Constitutional Constitutional Con Con- rights and start encouraging encouraging encouraging ing more mothering Stop taking away our right to bear arms and start encouraging big brother big sister programs and inner-city inner education Stop taking away welfare from those who sincerely need help and encouraging encouraging encouraging en en- apprentice programs that teach people to work and take pride in supporting themselves Stop taking children away from teenage mothers and encourage sex tion The government must turn the power of change over to private citizens Only private citizens cando cando can cando do the mothering necessary to er- er the social problems from the US U.S. Only by empowering citizens to make large changes in a smaller population can the problems be eliminated Only mothering can change an individuals individual's attitude and understanding Mothering must be a community com community community com com- effort You have to have a license to hunt and fish but anyone can parent a child There are no courses and very few rules and no noone noone noone one can do it alone Schools religion and family alone are inadequate we must all feel responsible for the children of the United States When test scores fall dropout levels increase and violence is on the rise it is everybody's problem We live in a global society We Ve collectively compete everyday for a If we are undereducated under edu undereducated undereducated productive non-productive and destroying destroying destroy destroy- ing ourselves from within we will lose everything Poverty hunger il illiteracy illiteracy il- il literacy unemployment these are the consequences of insufficient mothering We are all connected The other day on a veteran called in an complained that he had never had children and was tired of paying his tax money for other peoples people's childrens children's education My question to this gentleman would be Who do you think is paying your veteran benefits benefi ts Its It's other peoples people's children If we dont don't pay to educate educate educate edu edu- cate the US U.S. it will not be ti tive ve If we do not actively vely participate participate participate par par- as citizens in the education and training reformation and nurturing nurturing nurturing ing in short the mothering of the United States we wont won't have a United States worth owning In conclusion I would urge the students faculty and staff of this campus to get involved in programs that encourage mothering Contact Contact Con Con- Contact tact the community service office here on campus or contact community community com com- muni ty programs directly This country can use as many mothers as it can get change the nation at once but when critics m mock ck your efforts you can pat the child on the head and say it matters to this one S |
