City Year= Nazi Youth? (Answer: No)

Has anyone seen this video? In recent months it has caused a huge controversy on YouTube. Many people have commented that they compare the video to that of the Nazi Youth and Hitler. The critics of the video argue that the individuals in the video are part of Obama's evil plot essentially to brainwash US citizens to follow all his "liberal reforms."

Really people. Really...Now, this is going to sound like propaganda, I realize, but lets look at the organization for a minute. As an alumni of City Year, I understand that the culture behind the organization can be ridiculous and cultish. The organization will say that out front. What needs to be realized by the critics out there is that City Year started long before Obama was in office. It was started by two Harvard roommates in 1989. They wanted to do something with their summer, and it turned into something more. City Year is an organization that supports youth of diverse backgrounds coming together for a common cause, helping the youth in education and promoting civic duty. You give a year, more like 10 months, of your life to serve your country from the inside and fix some problems that the government just can't seem to get around to.

As an alumni I can tell you that a lot of people got annoyed with the organization, but in the end we were working there because we wanted to make some sort of change in the lives of the children we worked with. It wasn't about us, it was about them. It was about something bigger than ourselves. It was about bringing a smile to a child's face and letting them know that they weren't forgotten. It was a very inspiring year in my life, and it made me see a reality that was hidden from me.

So critics can argue and say that it is all brainwashing from Obama. However, I would say that the critics out there need to look at their facts a little more and actually talk to the people in the organization to understand it. The funny thing is that one commercial is getting a lot of heat because it shows "PT" (Physical Training) that is done once a week as a group. It seems "militaristic." However, the other commercials out there don't. You can watch them and judge for yourself. Just before you judge, look into the facts more before following anyone's opinion.