Future Survival Requires Duties First, Rights Second

ROTARY MINUTE – Paul Rux, October 17. 2013

SERVICE ABOVE SELF

OUR ROTARY MOTTO REMINDS ME OF WINSTON CHURCHILL WHO OBSERVED: 

“DUTY IS THE GREATEST WORD IN THE LANGUAGE, FOR IT REMINDS US THAT THERE ARE THINGS MORE IMPORTANT THAN OURSELVES.”

DUTY IS WHAT WE PUT IN.  RIGHTS ARE WHAT WE TAKE OUT.

WE HAVE A SOCIETY OBSESSED WITH RIGHTS - EVERYBODY IS BUSY TAKING OUT WITHOUT PUTTING SOMETHING IN FIRST TO BALANCE THE TAKING.

IT’S LIKE THE STUDENTS TODAY WHO MORE AND MORE DEMAND GRADES OF “A” WITHOUT HAVING TO STUDY, WORK FOR THEM.  I CONTEND WITH THEM RIGHT NOW AS AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR.

WE HAVE A SOCIETY OBSESSED WITH RIGHTS:  CIVIL RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS, ANIMAL RIGHTS, GAY RIGHTS, AND UFO RIGHTS, TO THE EXCLUSION OF DISCUSSION OF OUR DUTIES. 

A CHINESE PROVERB STATES THAT A SOCIETY OBSESSED WITH RIGHTS TO THE EXCLUSION OF DUTIES WILL DESTROY ITSELF.  ALL TAKING AND NO GIVING CAN ONLY LEAD TO DISASTER.

WELCOME TO THE USA TODAY.  WALL  STREET HAS A RIGHT TO ROB US.  BUT WHAT IS THE DUTY OF THESE WALL STREET TO THE SOCIETY THAT ALLOWS IT TO EXIST IN THE FIRST PLACE?

WE NEED TO RESTORE SERVICE ABOVE SELF AS THE LEADING VALUE IN THIS SOCIETY - OR CRASH.

WE NEED TO RESTORE DUTY – SERVICE ABOVE SELF - AS THE LEADING VALUE IN OUR SOCIETY – OR CRASH.

YES, OUR ROTARY MOTTO – SERVICE ABOVE SELF – REVEALS THE CANCER THAT IS DESTROYING US. 

SERVICE ABOVE SELF IS A REMINDER OF WHAT WE OWE TO EACH OTHER; ITS FOCUS ON GIVING OVER TAKING TRUMPS THE ENDLESS TOXIC, TIRING RHETORIC ABOUT “I HAVE A RIGHT TO THIS.  I HAVE A RIGHT TO THAT - WITHOUT HAVING DUTIES, SERVICE TO OTHERS, TO EARN HAVING RIGHTS.

YES OUR ROTARY MOTTO IS A GUIDE TO HOW TO DO OUR DUTY AND LOVE OUR COUNTRY.

I LOVE OUR ROTARY MOTTO – SERVICE ABOVE SELF.  MORE THAN EVER OUR COUNTRY NEEDS TO HEAR IT AND SEE EXAMPLES OF IT. 

IF WE PUT SERVICE ABOVE SELF WE CANNOT FAIL TO DO OUR DUTIES.

IF SERVICE ABOVE SELF GUIDES OUR COUNTRY, WE WILL SURVIVE - AND HAVE RIGHTS TOO.