don's report archive

by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

All administrations benefit from good policy ideas but the one in office now could especially benefit from such, since it doesn’t seem to have many at the present time. Creative policy ideas are needed for the benefits they bring and, in the case of the Bush Administration, to offset such really ill-advised priorities as federal funding for “faith-based” charities, opposition to anything but “abstinence only” sex education and exemptions that would allow drilling in Arctic Wildlife areas, for starters. Neither George W. nor any of his minions have asked me for good ideas, but I’ll offer one anyway, for after all, I am a patriot!

I propose a domestic Wellness Corps!

There is, of course, no compulsory military draft at the present time and no likelihood that we’ll have one anytime soon, if ever. A good argument could be made that compulsory military or other service is always a bad idea, inasmuch as it is, in effect, a form of discriminatory slavery to force young citizens to serve the state under harsh conditions of abridged civil rights. Even voluntary military service, with educational and other inducements, is unfair in the absence of attractive alternative service options, for the poor and undereducated with few choices are the citizens most likely to be attracted under these conditions. A Wellness Corp would be an attractive alternative for some citizens. In addition, just think of the constructive contributions that a trained corps of self-managements advisers, counselors and facilitators might enable for varied population groups, and the benefits the Wellness Corpspersons themselves would gain from immersion in healthy lifestyle practices.

Instead of a service attractive primarily to underprivileged, heterosexual Christian and mostly minority males, as seems to be the case with the modern US military, the alternative services (including the Wellness Corps) would appeal to women (even pregnant women), the physically challenged, married people, gays and lesbians, free-thinkers and maybe even a few Republicans, young and old! In short, EVERYBODY would get to serve for a couple years, if he/she wished to do so and the same educational and other benefits would be available to all, under my Wellness Corps proposal. These benefits would include pay, learning opportunities, advancements and possibilities for prestige, satisfaction, college payments and so on. In short, both military service and Wellness Corps service would afford citizens the chance to “be all that you can be,” whether in the Army, the Navy, Coast Guard, Marines or Wellness Corps.

The very idea of anybody being 4F for the Wellness Corps is out of the question. If you can chew gum and walk straight, you’re eligible. The administrator’s attitude must be something like, "Hey, no problem, partner. If you care about self-management for yourself and others, we'll work with you."

I could go on and on but this is just a concept at the present time. More details will follow -- if I am given a long-term government grant to continue work on this brilliant idea. Don’t feel badly that YOU did not think of this -- there are still lots of other good ideas needed by this Administration.Why, if the world’s only remaining superpower is to do what recent administrations think we must do, namely, secure peace everywhere, democratic governments everywhere and prosperity everywhere without overstretching our defenses, annoying half the world by acting like a global cop or breaking the budget and creating ruinous deficits, we’re going to need lots of good ideas! Ideas are also in order for fairer elections, better politicians, more secure borders, rebuilding the infrastructure, controlling pollution, reducing smoking and much more. So, don’t despair-- the Bush Administration needs all the good ideas it can get, including yours. Call or write the White House with your good ideas, or send them along to me here at SeelWellness and I’ll embellish them for you.

Isn’t it great that we still have freedom of speech and can petition the government to do good things? I think it is.

Be well, have fun and look on the bright side.

(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the PHYSICAL DOMAIN under the skill area of adaptations and challenges. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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