[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 90 (Wednesday, July 13, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 13, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                 RECOGNITION OF VI LY'S ACCOMPLISHMENT

                                 ______


                       HON. BARBARA F. VUCANOVICH

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 13, 1994

  Mrs. VUCANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, it is with immense pride that I rise 
today to recognize the achievement of a young Nevadan. Vi Ly, of 
Sparks, NV, was recently named the State winner in the Voice of 
Democracy broadcast script writing contest. While Ms. Ly was born in 
Vietnam, she has exhibited a great love for democracy and the American 
way of life. I am proud to entrust the future of this great Nation to 
such enthusiastic, young Americans as Ms. Ly. It is my honor to submit 
her winning essay, entitled ``My Commitment to America,'' to today's 
Record. I congratulate Ms. Ly on her achievement, and I wish her 
success in all future endeavors.

                        My Commitment to America

                               (By Vi Ly)

       Thomas Paine once said: ``Those who expect to reap the 
     blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of 
     supporting it.'' Supporting freedom is supporting America. 
     From the first framers of the Constitution to the last 
     soldier whose name appears on the Vietnam Memorial, a genuine 
     commitment has been made. Now the baton has reached our hands 
     from generations of committed men and women who have carried 
     it through war and peace and it is our chance to take it over 
     and beyond the finish line. Whether it touches one person or 
     a hundred people, my commitment is to do my part in 
     conserving, improving, and believing in America.
       Freedom and democracy. The men and women who fought for it 
     know that it is not easily won, but rather easily lost. I 
     believe in saving and preserving it for future generations; 
     not to spoil the true meaning of freedom, which is the 
     liberty to exercise, not to desecrate, or natural human 
     rights--freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom 
     of the vote. Children in the future should be given a chance 
     to experience the power of a country ruled by the people. I 
     am committed to supporting the conversation and preservation 
     of freedom and democracy in America for a future that will 
     someday become a present.
       I believe that the improvement of America and society comes 
     as the result of the development of people's heedful and 
     healthy habits through the mind, and what better way is there 
     to improve a mind than education? Committing myself to 
     achieving my high school and college diploma not only 
     fulfills a personal appetite for achievement, but it can also 
     affect the nation in a direct and definite way, by me giving 
     back to society the knowledge that I have gained. Knowledge 
     that might someday provide all Americans with health care; 
     knowledge that might someday help one person across the room, 
     or many people across the United States.
       I am just a single person in a population of millions, but 
     I don't believe in hiding behind numbers; one is still one. 
     Have faith in the commitment of one person because it is the 
     sole individuals who make up a group, a community, a nation. 
     Without the contribution of one person we may be without a 
     Gettysburg Address, without a cure for polio, without the 
     same face on the dollar bill.
       Edward Hale put it best when he said: ``I am only one, but 
     still I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can still do 
     something: and because I cannot do everything I will not 
     refuse to do the something that I can do.''
       One every page of the Bill of Rights, of every song from 
     America the Beautiful to The Star Spangled Banner, behind 
     every general from Lee to Grant, shines a commitment ``of the 
     people, by the people, for the people,'' and as a part of 
     this nation, I too have a claim to revere and contribute to 
     it. From a pledge of preservation to a goal of graduation I 
     am willingly committed to at least doing this part that I am 
     capable of doing. It doesn't matter if I am tall or short, 
     big or small, black or white, my individual pledge means just 
     one more hand in a tug-of-war, one more rung on the ladder of 
     knowledge, one more voice of democracy.

                          ____________________