[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 130 (Thursday, September 19, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1651]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        ANSWERING AMERICA'S CALL

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                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 19, 1996

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, each year the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the 
United States and its ladies auxiliary conduct the national voice of 
democracy broadcast scriptwriting contest. This past year more than 
116,000 secondary school students participated in the contest competing 
for the 54 national scholarships totaling more than $118,000, which was 
distributed among the winners. The patriotic theme for this year's 
contest was answering America's call.
  I am proud to share with my colleagues the winning script of Sherri 
Barrier, my constituent from the 10th District of Virginia, the winner 
for the State of Virginia. Sherri, a junior at Luray High School, is 
the recipient of the $1,000 U.S.S. Battleship Maine Memorial 
Scholarship Award for her winning essay. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. 
Ray Barrier, she plans a career as a surgeon and was sponsored in the 
contest by VFW Post 621 in Luray, VA.

                        Answering America's Call

       Somebody, get the phone. If it's Johnny, tell him I'm not 
     home. If it's Elena, tell her I'll call her back. It's my 
     country? I'm washing my hair, can you take a message? It's my 
     country? What was the message? Responsibility. That's all? 
     Anything else? Responsibility for myself, responsibility for 
     others, and responsibility for my country?
       Responsibility for myself: What does personal 
     responsibility mean? Well, I guess one thing it could mean is 
     to take responsibility for my values. Good values are 
     important. My country relies on me to set standards for 
     myself, and to uphold them. Education is a responsibility as 
     well. I need to motivate myself to reach my maximum 
     scholastic potential. Another is to set reachable goals that 
     I can strive to achieve. I'm responsible for my future, and 
     need to be all I can be. Yes, I also have to assume the task 
     of being a leader, and not just a follower. My country 
     depends on me to serve as a role model for others, and to 
     possess certain leadership qualities pertinent to being a 
     good citizen.
       Responsibility for others: What responsibility for others 
     do I have? Helping to prevent violence is a definite 
     responsibility. I'm in charge of the way I act toward others. 
     This means I have to regulate my behavior and need to help 
     others use anger in a positive way before restoring to 
     violence. I also have to be sensitive to racial issues. ``All 
     men are created equal,'' the Declaration of Independence 
     states. It's up to me to refrain from discriminating against 
     anyone, and to keep peace in the society. I also need to be 
     aware of the drug problem in this country. I can dissuade 
     friends from the use of drugs and show evident disgust with 
     those who take drugs. I can also project a great influence on 
     my friends. I could help them by giving good advice and by 
     raising my standards in hope they will do the same.
       Responsibility for my country: What responsibilities do I 
     have for my country? Only I can involve myself in the 
     government. I am able to do this by voting which gives me a 
     chance to express my opinion on candidates and issues. 
     Responsibility lies with me to be informed about world issues 
     affecting our government. Building a better society is up to 
     every individual. Even though I am only one person, I can 
     convince others to accept their responsibilities. Together, 
     we can ensure that America has a bright future and make this 
     country an even better place to live. Wow! I didn't realize 
     how much responsibility America entrusts in me. Our country 
     depends on its youth to take responsibility and answer 
     America's call.

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