Ameri-can

This week I saw a touching story on the news.  It involved a group of high school students in Pomona, California.  Despite depressing times, they still have high aspirations of graduating, going on to college, and becoming professionals.  The teacher asked them how many of the students were affected, personally, by the country's current economic situation, and many raised their hands.  

It was sort of a shock to his system when he learned how many students knew when the mortgage payment was due,  how far their parents were falling behind financially, and yet felt so helpless in offering support.  The teacher decided to videotape the students in a one-on-one interview format and post it on You Tube.  His whole reason for doing so was not to embarrass the students, but rather to share their story with the world and see if anyone was listening.

As I watched some of the interviews, it broke my heart to see students that were featured feeling the weight of such grown up issues on their shoulders.  They expressed concerns over their parents who had lost jobs, younger siblings, and financial troubles facing the families. One boy had very little, if any, food in his refrigerator.  Parents and teachers alike hadn't realized how much this was weighing on the teenagers.  I didn't get the sense that they were being lectured by their parents and guilted into realizing how tough times were, but rather they were just aware of their surroundings.  With constant doom and gloom on the news, in the papers, and in your hometown, it would be hard not to take note--teenager or not.  I firmly believe that this generation of teenagers is leap years ahead of my generation, in terms of being aware of national and global affairs.  I'm sure this due in large fact to the internet and the rapid rate of communication.

President Obama got wind of the You Tube posting and mentioned the students in a speech last week while in California to let them know "he was listening."  He specifically addressed them and later paid a visit to their school.  This morning there was a follow-up story which told how many Americans heard about the students' plight and took action to help.  Cash donations, emails, letters of support, job offers for their parents, and food from a local farmer came pouring into the school to help ease the students' burdens.  

Over the last few weeks, I've noticed a movement taking shape.  Maybe because it's in tune with my own philosophy that I adopted in December.  During these days of constant bad news it's important to start trying to promote a little humor and positivity.  For instance, I think it was in the the Free Press  I read where they looking for readers to share stories of hope and positive news.  Jay Leno, as we Detroiters are all well aware, is coming to Michigan in April to put on a couple of free shows just to give those, who are in need, a cheap night out and a chance to laugh--if only for a moment. In May, actor Michael J. Fox will host a show which explores the power of hope.  Can the strength and endurance of something you can't physically see really sustain you as a person and your country as a whole?  I think you all know how I feel about that.  Most definitely it can.  Also, Good Morning America has a little thing they call Ameri-can.  It includes some small news item that features how people in America are making a difference through one act of kindness, generosity, or positive thinking.

Last week I felt disgusted when I read an article about a Michigan teen who set up her own website looking for donations to send her to her dream college--Notre Dame. Tuition, room and board along with other costs will add up to about $51,300.  As I was reading, I kept thinking I was going to come to the part where it talked about her hardships in life and why she was worthy of such public assistance.  Then, I got to end of the article and realized that she wasn't.  There wasn't anything about her having some debilitating illness with mounds of medical bills to be paid, parents being unemployed, being homeless, no hard luck story, just greed, in my opinion. This was a healthy, happy girl with a good home, two living and, I assume working, parents and a good student.  She had already been accepted to the University of Michigan, but apparently she'd rather go to Notre Dame, however she can't afford it.  So, she's asking the public to pay for it, even though she has yet to be accepted.  What I also found to be a sad commentary on the situation was that fact that her principal wasn't surprised at her "entrepreneurship." I thought, that's not entrepreneurship dude, that's greed.  That's not Ameri-can, that's Ameri-want.    

That same day I read about this girl's quest for public support, I heard another story about octo-mom Nadya Suleman and HER website.  Apparently, she's looking for donations to help pay for those 14 children she wanted.  As I often say when I'm confused "me no get."  What's even more disturbing is that both of these women will probably "get."  That's the beauty of America.  Some corporation or glory seeking person will come to their rescue.  Ask and you will receive.  In my opinion, there is a huge difference between supporting those who need and those who want.  The difference between these two women and the high schoolers in California is that the students didn't ask, and yet they received.  That is the TRUE beauty of America.  We are a generous nation that has the ability to help others in need, even when we are in need ourselves.  

In an earlier posting I talked about the "Power of One."  I've talked about my personal quest to get involved and find something that moves me enough to do something about it.  I constantly think "what can I do that will make a difference?"  I've decided that I will be getting involved with the Jeffrey Stemberger Esophageal Cancer foundation.  Jeff was a friend of ours who passed away from this cancer in 2006. Another story on Good Morning America this week featured this fast growing cancer--over 400% increase this year.  Sixteen thousand people will be diagnosed yearly and 14,000 will die from this cancer.  More awareness in recognizing the symptoms, early detection, and simple testing procedures that are available needs to be shared, and that's something I Ameri-can do.