[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 156 (Saturday, November 8, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2246-E2247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  SIXTH DISTRICT ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HENRY J. HYDE

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 7, 1997

  Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, please permit me to share with my colleagues 
the tremendous work of a half-dozen young men and women who live in my 
District.
  Each year, my office in cooperation with numerous junior and senior 
high schools in Northern Illinois sponsor an essay writing contest. A 
board, chaired by Vivian Turner, a former principle of Blackhawk Junior 
High School in Bensenville, IL, chooses a topic, and evaluates results 
of the submitted essays. Winners share more than $1,000 in scholarship 
funds.
  This year, Marta Kuersten, a student at Algonquin Junior High School 
in Des Plaines, IL, placed first in the junior high division with an 
essay entitled What I can do for my Country, a text of which I include 
in the Record. Placing second in the junior division is Tina Rasane, a 
student at Mary, Seat of Wisdom School in Park Ridge, IL; and John 
Tadelski, a student at St. Alexander School in Villa Park, placed 
third.
  In the Senior High School Division, Thomas W. Repetto, a student at 
Maine South High School in Park Ridge, placed first with his essay 
entitled Towards the Preservation of the Government by the Citizen, a 
text of which I include in the Record. Shrujal Baxi, a student at 
Glenbard North High School in Carol Stream, IL, placed second; and 
Shannon McNamara, a student at Lake Park High School in Roselle, placed 
third.

                      What I Can Do For My Country

                          (By Marta Kuersten)

       ``Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you 
     can do for your country.'' Well, there are the things that 
     naturally come to mind. I could pick up litter, volunteer at 
     the local hospital, make donations to charities or even join 
     the army when I'm old enough. But I think real service to my 
     country has to do more with my attitude which can affect my 
     actions. It's got to do with the choices I make, and the way 
     I face life.
       I'm choosing to go to college, and earn a degree, so I'll 
     have the skills to get a good job. I'll avoid premarital sex, 
     so I don't have to worry about unwanted pregnancy or sexually 
     transmitted diseases. And even the simplest choices are 
     important, like choosing to throw my trash in a garbage can 
     instead of on the ground.
       Okay, so how does this affect my country, you ask? Simple, 
     unemployment is a problem in our country, and if I don't get 
     a college education, why should I expect not to join the 
     ranks? Welfare is what your country does for you. Paying 
     taxes is what you do for your country.
       And why should I take the place in a hospital of a person 
     with cancer because I have hepatitis, or worst of all, HIV/
     AIDS? I can save myself and the person with the unavoidable 
     illness, (like cancer), a lot of grief if I choose wisely and 
     remain abstinent. And that is to say nothing of the grief 
     shared by both the mother and a child born of an unwanted 
     pregnancy. A hospital bed or Medicaid is what the country can 
     do for you. Saying ``no'' is what you can do for your 
     country.
       Although it may seem small next to chastity and a college 
     degree, choosing not to litter means that someone else 
     doesn't have the responsibility of picking up your garbage. 
     ``Keep Your Town Beautiful'' crews are what your country does 
     for you. Finding and using a trash can is what you can do for 
     your country.
       The point is, the choices we make, big or small, affect our 
     country in one way or another. If I'm really asking myself 
     what I could do for my country, I'll make a wise decision 
     that will not only do the country good but will also probably 
     do me good as well. And John F. Kennedy would surely agree 
     with that thinking.


       Towards the Preservation of the Government By the Citizen

                          (Thomas W. Repetto)

       ``We the People . . .'' The first three words of the United 
     States Constitution affirm that the true leaders of 
     government are the millions of people who are governed by it. 
     In a government that is representative of the people, it is 
     the will of the people that directs a government to 
     satisfactory levels. As John F. Kennedy told Americans to 
     ``Ask what you can do for your country,'' he echoed the most 
     necessary component of a healthy and successful government: 
     popular participation. The participation of citizens is 
     necessary so that a government can truly serve the needs of 
     its constituents. In many foreign nations, the only way one 
     can voice his opinions and help his country is through a 
     ballot box. While Americans still honor the significance of 
     the vote, they have found numerous other ways to do something 
     for their country and respond to President Kennedy's request.
       Citizens can serve in the military, and fight for one's 
     country. Programs such as the Peace Corps and Americorps 
     allow citizens to travel to other countries and work to 
     preserve world peace. This helps the United States by 
     strengthening foreign relations and creating a world where 
     our children and our children's children do not need to deal 
     with the rigors and heartache that war can bring. Promoting 
     peace in our domestic wars with crime, gangs, and drugs can 
     be aided by organizations like the Guardian Angels and 
     Community Watch programs. Battles are fought every day, and 
     our willingness to resolve these problems is the first step 
     in combating the crime that surrounds us. Only through peace 
     and safety can we truly find happiness in our lives and in 
     our government.
       The Puritans who settled in the Massachusetts Bay Colony 
     believed in the philosophy that ``We are our brothers's 
     keeper.'' Likewise, citizens of America, a country of the 
     people, by the people, and for the people, can help their 
     country by being their brother's keeper, aiding the people 
     who make up this great nation. When one helps serve food at a 
     soup kitchen, visits people at a nursing home around 
     Christmas time, holds a door for a handicapped person, or 
     tutors disadvantaged children, he helps to promote the 
     general welfare of the community and subsequently the nation. 
     As an individual with deeply rooted Catholic beliefs, I 
     believe that acting as a ``Good Samaritan'' is the ultimate 
     way to serve the United States.
       One can join a local branch of political party, join a 
     union, actively participate in a special interest group, or 
     assist a political campaign. For example, when my government 
     teacher was running for trustee in his village, myself and 
     several other students went door to door passing out campaign 
     literature. In government, we work so that the best people 
     are elected and the best views are represented. Unions fight 
     for the rights of their members and work to improve working 
     conditions. As the son of a union member, I respect the 
     union's activity in trying to promote a better workplace. 
     Involvement in a special interest group demonstrates a desire 
     to see that a concern is respected. Joining any organization 
     that is active in trying to influence public policy is a 
     positive way to be an active citizen.
       Criticisms of the government help to illuminate problems 
     and propose solutions. Satirical cartoons, commentary 
     articles, and political discussions and debates demonstrate a 
     citizen's desire to improve his country's ability to protect 
     and serve the people. It is our duty as Americans to read 
     commentaries on the government, watch political discussions, 
     keep up to date on issues that affect our community, and 
     argue with our friends on datable issues. Demonstrations are 
     effective in conveying concerns of a large sect. While we may 
     not march in front of an abortion clinic, we must be aware of 
     why the people are marching and understand their position as 
     not to be ignorantly biased one way or another.
       A citizen who simply abides by the laws of his community 
     supports his country. A person who chooses not to drive 
     recklessly, who chooses not to cause a public disturbance, 
     who refrains from taking away the rights of another 
     individual, preserves the order and justice with which the 
     government is designed to protect. When we respect the 
     unalienable rights of others, we promote the ideals of 
     American society and protect our nation from falling into an 
     abyss of immorality and injustice.
       Only a few people can be elected to serve in Congress. Only 
     several individuals can represent a community in local 
     politics. Yet, every American can participate and do 
     something for their country. There are always improvements to 
     be made and problems to be solved. A letter to a Congressman, 
     a letter to the editor of a local newspaper, a phone call to 
     a friend who might generate interest: whatever the form of 
     communication, citizens must dictate their concerns. Then, 
     after the concerns are exposed, the individual must take it 
     upon himself to see that the problem is fixed. In the words 
     of Learned Hand, ``Liberty lies in the hearts of men and 
     women; when it dies there, no constitution,

[[Page E2247]]

     no law, no court can save it.'' Only with a eminent desire to 
     right what is wrong, to make just what is unjust, to equalize 
     what is unequal, and to improve what is imperfect can man 
     truly make a difference. Citizens must passionately believe 
     in a cause and do their best to make sure that their dream is 
     fulfilled. If, and only if, the hearts of man bubble with 
     painstaking ability to fight for the liberty ingrained in the 
     stars and stripes of America, then we can exclaim that no 
     barrier is unbreakable, no problem is unsolvable, no aspect 
     of moral degradation is unstoppable.

     

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