DECA has more than 200,000 members today, and has had a great many more in the past (having been founded in 1946) — yet I had never heard of it. This is such a big country: a continental country, “from sea to shining sea,” as WFB liked to say. Moreover, it is a diverse country. There are so many little platoons (Burke). So many points of light (Bush 41). In many countries, an organization with over 200,000 members would not qualify as a “little platoon.” But in America, 320 million–strong, it does.
DECA is an organization that teaches young people about the fundamentals of business. That inspires entrepreneurship. That prepares students for the work world, success, and self-reliance. (Yet the thing about capitalism: It’s a glorious network of people relying on others, as well as themselves.) In the past couple of days, I’ve had testimony from readers about what DECA has done for them.
Today, we publish the second and final part of my (quick) series: “Inspiration in a Blue Blazer.” See what you think.
What other valuable little platoons and points of light are out there that I’ve never heard of? A lot, no doubt.
P.S. Yesterday, I was writing about Egypt and its dictatorship. In recent days, they have effectively abolished civil society — banning organizations that are not tied to, and controlled by, the government. We are really very lucky.