[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 58 (Wednesday, May 1, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E678]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           ALLISON OWENS WINNER IN VOICE OF DEMOCRACY CONTEST

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                            HON. TOM BEVILL

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 30, 1996

  Mr. BEVILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my constituent, 
Allison Owens of Gadsden, who is the State winner of the Voice of 
Democracy broadcast scriptwriting contest, sponsored by the Veterans of 
Foreign Wars of the United States and its ladies auxiliary.
  I am very proud of Allison who wrote a stirring script based on the 
patriotic theme, ``Answering America's Call.''
  With your permission, I would like to submit her winning script for 
the Record:

                        Answering America's Call

                           (By Allison Owens)

       SSSHH, Can you hear it? It echoes in our spacious skies, it 
     rings from purple mountainside, and crashes in our waves, 
     from sea to shining sea. It is America's call. Can you hear 
     it?
       Washington heard it as he took a challenge many would not 
     face by becoming this country's first President. As a 
     general, he took many risks for this great country because he 
     heard her call to him. But, America does not call without 
     firmness. The call to her people is not weak. But, is strong 
     and stern. Abraham Lincoln heard it as he took the measures 
     needed to preserve his country in its greatest hour of 
     trial--The Civil War. Theodore Roosevelt heard it. His answer 
     prepared America for her role in the twentieth century as he 
     built the world's first modern Navy. Franklin D. Roosevelt 
     heard her call, though it was not an easy one. He responded 
     by saying ``Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing 
     we have to fear is fear itself.''
       But, fear is little when you live in a country as strong as 
     our America; we proved this in WWII. Her call is reflected 
     with determination by her people. The slogan of the U.S. Air 
     Force is ``The difficult we do immediately, the impossible 
     takes a little longer.'' Some of America's calls are quite 
     difficult.
       John F. Kennedy heard it. ``A Nation of Immigrants,'' he 
     called her. And, we are. Sometimes, people especially from 
     such a diverse group of backgrounds, have a difficult time 
     understanding each other. Kennedy also said ``In the final 
     analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit 
     this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all 
     cherish our children's future. And we all are mortal.'' 
     Kennedy answered her call by submitting civil rights 
     legislation to Congress to ensure equality for all. America 
     is calling for unity. E Pluribus Unum--From Many--One. That 
     is America. That is her call. Do you hear it?
       America is facing many more trials. Her people are 
     suffering. Franklin D. Roosevelt also said, ``The test of our 
     progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those 
     who have much, it is whether we provide enough for those who 
     have too little.'' He answered this call by passing Social 
     Security legislation to protect all Americans from 
     catastrophes like the depression. America is still today 
     calling for those who have no voice. Can you hear it?
       Ronald Reagan heard it. He held the hand of a dying 
     American spirit. He heard her call for what many people 
     thought would be the last time. Spirit like ours. DOES NOT 
     DIE, but will live forever no matter what trials may come our 
     way. We overcame Vietnam. We overcame Watergate. We overcame 
     the Iranian Hostage Crisis. Every time America has called, 
     her people have answered. America is calling for a 
     resurrection of triumph. We will overcome the seemingly 
     impossible trials that lay in our path. America will never 
     die. Answering America's call keeps her alive. Can you hear 
     it?
       Do you hear her calling to you? In big ways and small, she 
     calls to us for we are Americans, and answering this call is 
     part of our duty. Not just for this country, but for the 
     world. Dwight D. Eisenhower heard it and said ``Whatever 
     America hopes to pass in this world must first come to pass 
     in the heart of America.'' The Heart of America, where her 
     call begins. Is the Heart of America not the heart of her 
     people? Is the call of America not the call of her people? Of 
     our people, the young, the old, the poor, the prosperous, the 
     weak, and the strong. The ones who call to us loudly, and the 
     ones who suffer silently. They are all America's calls. Can 
     you hear it? Will you answer? Theodore Roosevelt said, 
     ``There can be no 50/50 Americanism in this country. There is 
     room here for only 100% Americanism.'' And how can you be 
     100% American if you do not answer America's call? Listen, 
     can you hear it? I can!

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