08/24/06: Back to School Special – World War III

As of today our ceasefire is over . . . Just in time.

According to probable presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, a tainted but revered political mastermind, we are living in the early stages of World War III. We will debate its veracity later. We should not be surprised, however, as World Wars have always begun during back to school season.

Barbara Tuchman’s award winning book Guns of August accounted the now almost silly beginning to the tragic Great War, World War I. The people of Europe and their political players were careless in forming new military alliances almost one hundred years ago. When combined with new weapons of mass destruction, Europe never recovered from this back to school tragedy.

Children walked to school in September of 1939 never again to see the same path. German blitzkrieg and the subsequent World War rearranged our geo-political homework forever. The lessons learned still provoke us to say – “never again.”

Are we welcomed this fall by another World War? Is it “the War on Terror”? “World Jihad”? Or as our president prefers to say, “the [new] long war”?

CitizenU returns today certain of this. We are at war, but it is a war over our collective indifference.

As in all wars there are critical points of departure. Who will win the race for the best intelligence? Who can mobilize their troops most efficiently? Who is fighting for the noble cause?

CitizenU will defend your right to know the truth about American politics and world affairs, thus addressing the need for greater intelligence.

CitizenU will protect our citizenry by providing the tools necessary for a working democracy, thus training the leaders of tomorrow.

And CitizenU will empower all those who claim with confidence the “audacity of hope,” thus elevating our focus from the mundane to the profound.

Welcome back to school.

Our cease fire is over . . . Just in time.