[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 16, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 16, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      TRIBUTE TO NATHANIEL BENNETT

                                 ______


                         HON. MARTIN OLAV SABO

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 16, 1994

  Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the efforts and 
achievements of an outstanding young man from my hometown of 
Minneapolis, MN. He is Nathaniel Bennett, a junior at South High School 
and the national winner of the Voice of Democracy broadcast 
scriptwriting contest. The contest, sponsored by the Veterans of 
Foreign Wars of the United States and its Ladies Auxiliary, encourages 
the youth of America to explore patriotism and study the history of our 
Nation. For his keen insight and his ability to express his Commitment 
to America, Nathaniel will receive a $20,000 scholarship from the VFW.
  Winning this award was no easy task. Nathaniel competed with more 
than 138,000 students from more than 2,800 schools across the Nation to 
win the top honor. This accomplishment is a prime example of what our 
young people can achieve if given the resources and encouragement. His 
parents, Scott Bennett and Margy Stein, should be proud. They should be 
applauded, and the VFW should be recognized for its continuing devotion 
to America's youth.
  Nathaniel's commitment to excellence is a model to which all young 
people should aspire. It is a pleasure to take time to honor this young 
man who is a first-rate citizen and a fine representative of our State.
  I would now like to share with you Nathaniel's winning entry.

                        My Commitment to America

                         (By Nathaniel Bennett)

       All of us can think of a commitment that we've made to 
     someone else, in marriages, in families, and with friends. 
     Commitment means people pledging themselves, often to each 
     other. My commitment to America is no different. It involves 
     America and I pledging ourselves to each other. For America's 
     part, I have been welcomed by my family, my community, a 
     government that is of, by and for the people, and by a 
     society that has made this country great. To make the 
     relationship between my nation and myself work, I must make 
     my own commitment.
       I have always felt a commitment to America, but only 
     recently thought about what that commitment really is, I have 
     pledged allegiance to the flag and to the republic for which 
     it stands, but never fully understood the meaning of 
     allegiance. I studied the Constitution, and discovered that 
     it explains what the government can and cannot do, and gives 
     the people certain rights, but nowhere in the Constitution 
     does it mention a legal commitment. To understand my 
     commitment to this country, I had to look deeper than the 
     letter of the law. I had to look at the moral principles that 
     America is based on, such as freedom of expression, 
     toleration of differences, and belief in peaceful compromise. 
     I had to realize that I, and every other American, must make 
     a moral commitment to America.
       As part of that commitment, it is important that I exercise 
     my right to vote, my right to free speech, and my right to 
     petition the government. Still, this is not enough. I must 
     also contribute to society in my own, individual way. America 
     is not only a political state, it is a society that was 
     shaped my many people, in many ways.
       Many of the greatest Americans were not involved in 
     politics. If Mark Twain had been a career politician, we 
     would not have his novel, Tom Sawyer, and we would not know 
     how fun and profitable it can be to white-wash a fence. If 
     Alexander Graham Bell had spent his life studying 
     Constitutional law, we might still be communicating by Pony 
     Express. If the father of the sky-scraper, Louis Sullivan, 
     had been a Washington lobbyist, the world of architecture 
     would be less interesting and a lot shorter. If Harriet 
     Tubman had been a member of the Lincoln's cabinet, there 
     would have been many slaves that never made it to freedom. 
     The point is not that these people weren't making political 
     statements. Of course their lives reflected their political 
     opinions. The point is that they contributed to society in 
     their own way.
       Right now, I am experimenting with a few ways to express my 
     commitment to America. I'm no Ansel Adams, whose pictures 
     inspire awe of our nation's natural beauty, but I do take 
     photographs of my surroundings that express my commitment to 
     America. One of my pictures is of a building with a billboard 
     displaying the message, ``Support our troops in Operation 
     Desert Storm.'' Below the billboard, on the building are the 
     words, ``Troops Out'' in black spray-paint. When I took the 
     photograph, I thought of it as merely an ironic urban scene, 
     super-imposing two messages into one image, but now it seems 
     to me it is an example of the American forum. The maker of 
     the billboard, the maker of the graffiti, and I, the maker of 
     the photograph, all considering America's direction.
       I'm not on a par with Bob Dylan, the American troubador, 
     but I play the bass guitar and occasionally I write songs. 
     One of them called ``Indecision'' describes an inner 
     struggle. Two lines read, ``I try to communicate. I do so 
     with perseverence. But hypocrisy retaliates with its 
     interference.'' The tunes and lyrics are simple, but the song 
     reflects my occasional frustrations about life.
       And what about this speech? I do not think the great 
     American orator, Fredrick Douglas, will lose his place in 
     history because of me, but I am using this speech to explore 
     and explain my commitment to America. It made me think about 
     how my photography and music reflect that commitment. Even 
     now, as I recite, I gain more insight into who I am and what 
     my commitment to America means.
       I've discovered that I treasure the freedom of expression 
     that allows me to contribute my music, my photography, and my 
     opinions to American society. My whole generation and I 
     experience this freedom because of many Americans before us; 
     Americans who have given their ideas in political speeches, 
     in songs, in stories, and in actions; Americans who have 
     worked in factories and universities and grocery stores; 
     Americans who have given their loyal services and even their 
     lives, in the armed forces. In response to and in honor of 
     those Americans, I contribute my ideas, my talents, and my 
     life to America in order to make it better now and for 
     generations to come. This is my commitment to America. It is 
     the greatest commitment that I can make.

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