[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 106 (Thursday, August 4, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
           ARIZONA WINNER, VOICE OF DEMOCRACY, CHESLEY CRANCH

                                 ______


                             HON. JIM KOLBE

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 4, 1994

  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Speaker, each year the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the 
United States and its ladies' auxiliary sponsor a contest for secondary 
school students across the Nation. This year, more than 138,000 
students competed in the Voice of Democracy broadcast scriptwriting 
contest, and I am proud to recognize the State winner from Arizona, Ms. 
Chesley Cranch, a 12th grade student from Safford High School in 
Safford, AZ.
  I am inserting the text of her script so my colleagues can read her 
inspiring words. Society presents so many challenges for teenagers, and 
it is encouraging to know there are so many youth, like Chesley, who 
have bright vision for the future and the desire to give their very 
best to keep America strong.

                        My Commitment to America

       Commitments to America have been around since before there 
     was an America to commit to. In 1776 a small group of men 
     gathered together and made a commitment to their country in 
     signing a radical statement concerning their independence 
     from Great Britain. These men first stated their beliefs 
     about all men being created equal, about their Creator giving 
     them certain unalienable rights including life, liberty and 
     the pursuit of happiness, and about a government deriving its 
     powers from the consent of the governed. Then, they pledged 
     or committed their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred 
     honor in support of those beliefs. From that commitment arose 
     the country called America.
       Did these early patriots expect every American after them 
     to have the same dedication as they? I, for one, believe they 
     did. I also believe that most Americans have not lost sight 
     of their responsibilities. That, just below the surface of 
     our fast-paced way of life, there is a love for this country 
     in every citizen just waiting for the chance to show itself 
     when the need arises and the call goes out.
       Perhaps the greatest outpouring of patriotism and 
     dedication to the values our country was founded on that I 
     have experienced in my lifetime was during the Desert Storm 
     War in the Middle East. This country got behind our armed 
     forces who went out to secure for some foreign nation the 
     unalienable rights our country was designed to embrace. The 
     President even declared a National Day of Prayer that God 
     would watch over our soldiers going into battle. The outcome 
     of that war marks an accomplishment that this whole country 
     feels proud about.
       Other events in my own lifetime that have helped me to form 
     my commitment to America include the striving to attain 
     freedom and democracy as seen in Tiananmen Square in China, 
     in the demolition of the Berlin Wall, and in the break-up of 
     the Communist Republics in Russia. If so many people are 
     giving up so much for what we have in this country, I figure 
     I had better take another look at what I have and what I 
     should do with it.
       The Preamble to the Constitution begins with the words, 
     ``We the people . . .''. To me this means that Americans have 
     the right and responsibility to participate in the democratic 
     process. I see it as my duty to let my representatives know 
     how I feel about the issues on which they are making 
     decisions, not from just an emotional or self-centered point 
     of view, but from an informed and educated perspective. A 
     couple years ago the state government announced that they 
     were going to close our local state park. Our government 
     class researched the topic, came up with some suggestions for 
     alternative funding, and wrote letters to our state 
     legislators. In the end, our park remained open and we felt 
     good that it must have been at least partly to our own 
     involvement.
       Another part I intend to play in America in a few months 
     when I turn eighteen is to exercise my right to vote. The 
     signers of the Declaration of Independence made special 
     mention of this when they stated that governments should 
     derive their power from the consent of the governed. I intend 
     to know the candidates running for public office and educate 
     myself about the issues being discussed. Even if my candidate 
     loses, I know my voice will be heard when my vote is counted 
     with the others.
       Finally, in looking back at the first American patriots, I 
     was impressed at their faith in God and in the belief that He 
     plays a part in governments by first creating men with 
     ``certain unalienable rights,'' and then instituting 
     governments among men, ``to secure these rights.'' These men, 
     I'm sure, prayed much that they were doing the right thing. 
     This is why I am making it my final commitment to America to 
     pray daily for my country and its leaders, that God would 
     give them the wisdom in every decision that will affect this 
     country and those that live here.

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