Bridging the service gap this summer
College students these days are more active than they ever have been. They are more active in social groups, more active in their communities and academically competing at higher levels than the generations before them. However, not all facets have benefited from this increase in activity — political service or even basic civic duties have lost their appeal with the youth. Why are young people not voting? Why is political service seen in a negative light? Why is participation in government in relative decline compared to participation in community or other public goodwill activities?
There are probably many reasons for this: active lives means less time to be civically involved, cross-firing politicians are just a mammoth turnoff (Look at the Iowan primary), or maybe young people have lost sight of just how grand of an effect politics can have on our lives, and instead have opted for activities where they can witness firsthand the positive effects of their hard work.
Doing community service is great and gratifying. It is not only fun to get your hands dirty, but it feels awesome impacting real people at the local level. However, young people cannot afford to be so nearsighted. They must be as active up at the capital as down in the food shelf. After all, what good can you do if you don’t have the support of our political system? Look at Teach for America, how can you impact kids in intercity schools when your funding is drastically cut? Public service is a two-sided coin. If you want to be able to impact people locally, you must also be aware of what is happening on the state and national level.
The Institute for Political Service is a paid summer fellowship program organized by United Leaders, which bridges the gap between the community and policy sides of public service. The IPS brings students from across the United States to Boston to work in state offices and local community organizations, while also engaging fellowship in public policy by offering seminars and guest dinners featuring notable past and present politicians, and academics. If you are interested in public service, either in community organizations or in politics than the IPS is a perfect opportunity for you. To apply for the IPS go to www.unitedleaders.org, or if you are interested in bridging the gap right here in Madison please attend the United Leaders Spring Kickoff Feb. 4, 2004 at 7 p.m. (check TITU for the room assignment). If you have any questions about the IPS or about United Leaders please contact Brian Jenks at [email protected]
Trent Krupp
IPS Alumni
Junior, Economics
Kudos to “Morning Wood” for sex addiction column
Thank you “Morning Wood” columnist Adam Duthie for your piece “Are You a Sex Addict” in Oct. 15’s Badger Herald. As a gratefully recovering sex addict myself, I am hopeful your article may have reached at least one or two more people on this campus who are suffering and in need of help.
What your readers may not know, however, is that Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA) has a strong and growing fellowship in Madison. There are four separate meetings on four different days of the week in the Madison area, three of which are easily accessible on campus. A sister group, Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA), meets twice weekly as well. The only requirement for attendance at these meetings is to have a desire to stop compulsive sexual activity (and/or obsessive romantic fantasizing for SLAA). For times and locations, please call the local SAA phone line at 845-2309 and leave a message. Someone should get back to you later that day.
I do take issue with one assertion in your otherwise wonderful piece, Mr. Duthie. You write, “[s]ome addicts crave violence…which makes a sex addict potentially dangerous.” Like nearly all sex addicts I know — and I’m blessed to know many — I do not “crave violence.” You’re right that “some addicts crave violence,” but the vast majority of sex addicts are not “potentially dangerous.”
Like alcoholics and drug addicts, sex addicts — other wise well-adjusted and successful people like me — have an illness that can be treated with the contact and support of other addicts and the 12 steps of recovery. Thank you again, “Morning Wood,” for shedding light on this underreported illness, and for letting addicts who are still suffering from the secret shame of sex addiction know that help is available.
John D.
UW graduate student