<Begin Segment 24>

TI: Well, if you were to ask, or to talk with students today -- I think so much of the future of our country will soon be in the hands of the students in colleges and high schools, and you've had this, this rich place to look at the history of our country for the last sixty, seventy years -- what do you tell them, I mean, in terms of what they need to do now? What should they be looking at?

CS: Well, I think the most significant message that I could give is to have young people orient themselves to public service, whatever that role may be, whether running for political office, or whether participating in agencies such as Densho, for example. But to be involved outside themselves, to be more than merely a selfish person, and have a concern for the rest of the world. In public service, especially in public office, there's an opportunity to create laws, to administer laws, to develop programs, a good example is Mayor Nickels' recent brash decision to discontinue the food program overnight.

TI: Right.

CS: "As of four o'clock this afternoon, anyone who serves will be arrested." Now, that was a stupid decision on his part. He's recanted, and said, "Oh, no, we've changed our mind. You could still serve, and you move from the park, and you'll move to the plaza." And, of course, the plaza is going to be torn down very soon, but will he agree that they could go in the plaza of the new justice center, up three blocks away? And what park is convenient to the homeless, and all of these things. But to me, this is an opportunity for public service, regardless who it happens to be. As mayor of a city, a mayor has power and influence. As governor of a state, the governor has power and influence. As a state senator or state representative, or a county council member or a city council member, these are public service opportunities where creative things can be done to correct the evils of society as we see them. And one of the evils is the indiscriminate death of people. Sometimes the persons are well-known, like the assassinations of great historical note, the Kennedy assassinations and the King assassination, and then some are nameless, faceless, homeless people who are killed, and nobody cares. And why do people not care?

<End Segment 24> - Copyright © 2004 Densho. All Rights Reserved.