Ask Not: A Call to Serve
| Category: | Defining Moments |
|---|---|
| Notes: | President John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural address challenged Americans to serve with the famous line: "Ask not what your country can do for you…" |
Ask Not: A Call to Serve
On a cold January day in 1961, newly elected President John F. Kennedy stood before the nation and offered a challenge:
"Ask not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for your country."
He was speaking to a generation that had come through war and was stepping into a time of change and possibility. His words weren't just for adults. They were for young people, too-for anyone ready to lead, to serve, to make a difference.
That's the Scout way. We don't wait for someone else to fix the world. We take action. We look for ways to help, to improve, to serve.
JFK's words still echo today. Being a Scout is one way we answer that call-to serve our country, our community, and each other, not out of obligation, but out of honor.