JUN 11, 2013 ROTARY IN REVIEW:
John Rash, The Rash Report
As the 2013 monsoon season continued to darken Minnesota skies President Dan McKeown shined the bright light of Rotary on the many accomplishments of his team of mighty volunteers at the conclusion of a very successful Rotary year.
Jim Delamater and Armando Camacho revealed names of the winners from last week’s Fellowship Day events and reported that more than sixty Rotarians participated in events at the White Bear Lake Yacht Club Golf Course.
Assisting President Dan today were:
Greeter – Doug Bruce
Scribe – Jim Kosmo
Song Leader – Jerry Faletti
Piano – Bob Jones
Invocation – Tom Brinsko
Introduction of Guests – Carolyn Brusseau
Fellowship Day Report – Jim Delamater and Armando Camacho
SPRF Report – Jim Kosmo
Happy Dollars – Sarah Kolar
Chuck Roach then introduced Minneapolis Star-Tribune columnist and WCCO Radio personality John Rash. Rash, who also teaches Mass Media and Politics at the University of Minnesota, is a nationally recognized expert on politics and foreign policy and has traveled throughout the world taking the pulse of friends and foes.
He recently visited the Middle East to assess the meaning of widespread unrest and violent uprisings inspired by the “Arab Spring.” He noted that there is a thirst for democracy throughout the world, but cautioned that democracy has many different meanings. People in the Middle East look more to Turkey as a model than to the US, he noted. But, he quickly added that the recent unrest in Turkey is a threat to that model; however, he does not foresee a change in administration there.
He pointed to common threads or needs that are espoused by people seeking a transition to democracy:
Free elections
Legal System to draft and enforce fair laws
Civil Society
Looking at the need for a civil society he said, “They need Rotary — people outside of government dedicated to doing good.”
Rash attended the US Army War College as a media observer where he listened as top military leaders described the grave threats of potential nuclear proliferation to terrorist groups and of cyber warfare. His experience was heightened by revelations of security leaks within the NSA. He explained that national and international security is greatly complicated by asymmetric threats rather and confronting a structured military force.
Rash expressed admiration for the military for bringing in speakers who might be expected to offer conflicting opinions such as the president of the ACLU who talked about the need to close Guantanamo Base and asked for greater attention to the sexual assault crisis in the military.
Another speaker, Norman Ornstein, a native Minnesotan and author of “It’s Even Worse Than You Think,” told the War College that the current dysfunction in Washington, D.C. is not caused by gridlock, but “deadlock on the beltway.” He noted that the crisis greatly handicaps the military who are charged with very long range thinking to safeguard America at a time when they must deal with a Congress that cannot function or think beyond the next election. Coupled with this, the military is facing a major draw down in troops and reduction in resources as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan end.
Speaking of wars, long range planning and critical decisions, Rash pointed to the upcoming 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. Decisions made 150 years ago changed the history of the US and the world, he said. “Think of how much better we have it today. Our problems are solvable, if we can sit down together.”
President Dan concluded the meeting with recitation of the Rotary 4-Way Test of the things we think, say or do.
Is it the TRUTH?
Is if FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Jim Kosmo,
Scribe