USDANEWS VOLUME 56 NO. 5 - MAY 1997

Recently, America's living Presidents joined with business, charity, political and religious leaders, and other public-spirited citizens to talk about America's future.

It is a bright future. Yet problems still persist, whether it's poverty, threats to our natural resources, or the weather.

How we unite to address these problems will say a lot about America's prospects in the 21st century. I think there's an important lesson for us in the Midwest floods.

People across the country were moved by the images of Dakotans and Minnesotans working side by side to try and shield their communities from a rising Red River. A close look at the neighbors passing sandbags revealed students, businesspeople, retirees, even USDA employees.

During a time of crisis, everyone had just one title: volunteer. By day, our USDA employees took part in the federal disaster response--getting help to farmers, ranchers and rural residents. By night and on the weekends, many of these same people could be found at the local Red Cross shelter or the Salvation Army.

For them, good citizenship didn't simply mean doing good work. It meant going the extra mile to help communities in crisis.

It is no coincidence that President Bill Clinton's Summit on America's Future took place in Philadelphia, where our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence. It is time for a new American revolution--one that redefines good citizenship as not just paying taxes and obeying laws, but making a personal commitment to ensuring the American Dream is available to all who are willing to work for it.

This revolution won't take place by government fiat. It must catch fire in the hearts and minds of every American. If it does, we will all enjoy an America in the next century that is every inch the ideals it was founded on over two centuries ago. ¤

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