[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 120 (Thursday, September 11, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1741]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CONGRATULATING MICAH MORGAN, PACIFIC AREAS WINNER, VFW VOICE OF 
                DEMOCRACY BROADCAST SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 11, 1997

  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, each year, the Veterans of Foreign Wars 
of the United States and its ladies auxiliary conduct the Voice of 
Democracy broadcast scriptwriting contest. Entries for this year's 
theme, ``Democracy--Above and Beyond,'' were received from more than 
109,000 secondary school students. Fifty-four national scholarships 
were distributed among the 54 national winners.
  Mr. Micah Morgan is this year's Pacific areas winner. He is the 
recipient of a $1,000 USS Battleship Maine Memorial Scholarship Award. 
Micah is a senior at Morrison Academy in Taichung, Taiwan. He is the 
son of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Morgan and he plans a career in architecture.
  As I congratulate Micah for being this year's Pacific areas winner, I 
would like to submit his speech for the Congressional Record:

                     ``Democracy-Above and Beyond''

       Deep in the jungle, a soldier fights. But he is not the 
     first. He is the newest warrior in a battle that men have 
     been fighting for centuries. Just as those soldiers did long 
     ago, he fights against tyranny and oppression backed by 
     brothers in his own country, as well as sympathizers around 
     the world. He is not fighting in their name, however, nor is 
     he fighting for any kingdom or revered leader, nor even his 
     own comrades in arms. He is fighting for himself. He is 
     fighting for the opportunity to provide for his family. He is 
     fighting so his children won't have to grow up in fear. He is 
     fighting so that he and his wife will be able to express 
     their opinions openly. He is fighting so that he can have a 
     voice in who governs him. He is fighting for his right to be 
     a man. He is fighting for an idea which began centuries ago, 
     but one which has survived while so many other great ideas 
     have passed away. He is fighting for Democracy. The only 
     government in the world that will give him and his family the 
     hope to keep going, the freedom to express their opinions and 
     the opportunities to do something about it.
       Democracy gives people hope because it listens to them and 
     helps them and allows them to succeed. Hope: something that 
     everyone wants and needs to keep going. It can come through a 
     baby's smile, an encouraging word from a friend, or even just 
     a beautiful day. Not much to ask, really, but still people in 
     many countries don't even have hope. Millions of immigrants 
     fled to America during the 1820's and 1830's because it gave 
     them this hope. In their own countries, no matter how hard 
     they worked, they could never overcome the lot that they have 
     been dealt in life. But, in America, their work would be 
     rewarded and they could see that their children started off 
     better in life than they had. The hope of a brighter future 
     is one factor which makes democracy a step ahead of the rest.
       Freedom, something which many take for granted, but 
     something for which many people are willing to give their 
     lives. Hope is a wonderful thing but is a short-lived thing 
     if there is no freedom in which to enjoy it. People can 
     experience life more when they have freedom because they can 
     develop their own thoughts, express their own opinions, and 
     pick their own direction in life without worrying about 
     somebody looking over their shoulder. Freedom is something 
     people respond well to, but most governments in the world 
     haven't realized this. They don't realize that allowing 
     people to make their own choices can only aid the government, 
     because people work better when they know that they are doing 
     it for themselves. Democracy, on the other hand, gives people 
     freedom and it takes advantage of the work that people are 
     doing for their own sakes. Freedom unlocks spirit and, by 
     giving its people freedom, Democracy takes one more giant 
     leap ahead of the rest.
       Opportunities are essential to a good government. Hope and 
     freedom are wonderful but they only breed discontentment if 
     the people are not given the opportunities to do something 
     about it. Giving people hope and freedom without 
     opportunities is like grooming, encouraging, and aiding a 
     pitcher to become amazing, but then never putting him into a 
     game. People with hope and freedom will exercise their 
     opportunities to improve government, technology, society, and 
     countless other things. No other form of government is 
     willing, however, to give up the little bit of power that it 
     takes to give people opportunities, in order to gain the 
     great advancements that they will bring to the nation.

     

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