[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 135 (Thursday, October 2, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1896]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           1996-97 VFW VOICE OF DEMOCRACY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 30, 1997

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Veterans of Foreign Wars I 
would like to introduce the following winning script from the Voice of 
Democracy Program. The winner of the contest from the Third District of 
Colorado was Tara Linton of Craig, CO.

                    ``Democracy--Above and Beyond''

       The lyrics to ``God Bless America'' have been permanently 
     etched into my brain. I can remember reciting the song over 
     and over in preparation for a play my entire elementary 
     school participated in to commemorate the two hundredth 
     anniversary of the United States Constitution.
       That play was like a welcome mat to the future for me. Not 
     only did it introduce me to the exciting and rewarding world 
     of the theatre, but it brought me closer to something else--
     democracy. The play retraced the path of democracy from 
     America's past to its present. I thank my lucky stars that I 
     had the chance to participate because, until then, I had no 
     idea how democracy had gone above and beyond, shaping our 
     country and its people. And now, nine years after singing 
     about the ``land that I love,'' I am proud to speak out on 
     behalf of democracy.
       Today's ``performance,'' if you will, is divided into two 
     acts. In act one we will see how democracy is responsible for 
     the American Dream. And act two will focus on the 
     contributions we all make to keep democracy rising above and 
     beyond.
       The curtain opens, and the American Dream is exposed. What 
     we see is a plethora of people, every American who has ever 
     lived or will live. They represent democracy's past, present, 
     and future, how it has changed and how it has stayed the 
     same.
       But one thing stands out more than anything else. We can't 
     see it or touch it or interpret it with any of the five 
     senses. It is deeper and more powerful than any sensation. It 
     is a sense of love, patriotism, and gratitude rolled into 
     one.
       You see, nobody had to sit down and decide that the people 
     of the future deserved a better life. But somebody did. A lot 
     of somebodies, in fact, including the likes of George 
     Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. The 
     result of their desire to improve the world is what 
     generations of Americans have experienced--the original 
     American Dream. We have the opportunity to live in the 
     society our forefathers only dreamed about.
       It's as if we are all actors fortunate enough to have 
     starring roles in the manuscript our founders began to write 
     even before the formation of the Union.
       Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin. Their masterpiece 
     wasn't the Declaration of Independence, nor was it the 
     Constitution; their masterpiece is us.
       This draws the curtain on act one and leads us to act two: 
     just how we Americans send democracy above and beyond.
       With every effort at getting involved, the driving force 
     behind democracy gets stronger. And we're encouraged to get 
     involved at an early age. Many schoolchildren are directly 
     exposed to democracy the moment they enter the school with 
     the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. With education 
     playing a major role in democracy's success, the emphasis on 
     saying the Pledge at school is a giant stepping stone for 
     children to become familiar with the system.
       But it only just begins in childhood. As we grow older we 
     begin to make choices for ourselves and our country. Nearly 
     every man and woman involved in the armed services does so 
     for the preservation of democracy.
       And all registered voters have the say in what the future 
     should entail when they cast their ballots.
       Why do Americans try so hard to keep democracy strong and 
     prominent? Well, it all goes back to what we saw in act one. 
     We came from a long line of people who truly care. Though 
     democracy in America has faced a number of changes, one thing 
     doesn't change: we care. About the past, the present, and the 
     future.
       The curtain has fallen over act two, but the performance 
     isn't quite finished.
       An actor knows that the hours spent memorizing, rehearsing 
     and performing have been well worth the effort when the final 
     curtain drops, and the audience, left in a state of wonder, 
     fulfillment, and satisfaction, reacts with generous and 
     sincere applause.
       Will the manuscript our forefathers began writing hundreds 
     of years ago ever come to a conclusion? We may never know. 
     Like nearly all things, democracy will continue to grow and 
     evolve--to go above and beyond. With every new life exposed 
     to its benefits, democracy enters for an encore performance, 
     sure to be even more spectacular than ever before.
       And now, as the performance comes to a close, we should all 
     take time to remember what democracy means to us. From the 
     mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans, we stand beside 
     her and guide her. America--the land that we love.

     

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