[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 65 (Wednesday, May 20, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E916-E917]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     ``MY VOICE IN OUR DEMOCRACY''

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NEIL ABERCROMBIE

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 20, 1998

  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend Zachary Hicks, a 
student at Hawaii Baptist Academy in Honolulu, who recently won the 
1998 Voice of Democracy broadcast scriptwriting contest for Hawaii.
  Each year, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and its Ladies Auxiliary 
sponsor the Voice of Democracy contest to recognize writing and 
oratorical skills of students. Zachary Hicks related the democracy 
demonstrations of Tianamen Square in the People's Republic of China to 
the freedoms to enjoy and the need to exercise freedom of speech.
  I would like to share the script with the House and America, Mr. 
Speaker, which I am submitting. I am certain Leon and Brenda Hicks, 
Zac's parents, as well as his teachers and fellow students at Hawaii 
Baptist Academy, have great pride in Zac and his accomplishment.

                     ``My Voice in Our Democracy''

                           (By Zachary Hicks)

       Not long ago, a number of young men and women broke out in 
     protest of a government they did not believe in. With fear 
     overpowered by conviction, these students stared communism in 
     the face and said, ``We will no longer be shut up, pushed 
     down, and unheard.'' That night in Tianamen Square, the cries 
     for a democracy rang out loud and

[[Page E917]]

     clear, yet they soon would be replaced by different cries. 
     With hearts of fire, the students would not back down to 
     words of warning. The air of freedom was faintly tangible but 
     soon dissipated as the piercing crack of gunfire drove fear 
     back into the hearts of the young people. Shot down . . . 
     beaten . . . imprisoned . . . in one way or another they were 
     all silenced. And the freedom, once so close, was now ripped 
     from their hands.
       This tragedy can conjure up a lot of emotions. For me, all 
     I can do is feel grateful. Surely I have taken for granted 
     the freedom of a democracy. I have the privilege to stand up 
     and not be pushed down. I don't have to look over my shoulder 
     in fear every time I speak up about the government. I have a 
     voice. But what is so beautiful about America's democracy is 
     that this voice is just as important, just as valid as the 
     next man's. Though led by presidents, governors, senators, 
     and representatives, I have just as much power to speak out 
     as they do. My voice matters.
       Our forefathers designed the United States Constitution to 
     keep the government from ever becoming so powerful, so 
     tyrannical, that I no longer have the freedom to speak my 
     mind. At the same time, the constitution keeps me in line and 
     helps remind me of what is important to our democracy, so 
     that I fight for ideas that are true, right, and noble.
       Personally, I've only recently begun to see how powerful my 
     voice is, even though it is just one. A project was assigned 
     in my political science class in which I needed to interview 
     various state representative and senators. I was surprised at 
     how easy it was to schedule an appointment with an elected 
     official. When I was sitting in the office of my 
     representative, my eyes were opened to the power of my own 
     voice. I used to believe that my voice meant nothing because 
     I wasn't old enough to vote. But what is amazing to me now is 
     that I'm able to walk straight into our state's capital 
     building, climb a few stairs, enter right into an office of a 
     senator or representative, and explain to them exactly what I 
     believe and why I believe it. Not only that, our government 
     allows what I say to be taken into consideration. I can 
     persuade others to take up my passion, believe what I 
     believe, and push for a change. Though funded in basic 
     principles, democracy is not set in stone. If I don't agree 
     with something. I have the ability to work to change it. 
     America, the world's largest democracy, will take time to 
     listen to what I have to say.
       Because my voice in our democracy matters so much, I hold a 
     tremendous respect for the United States of America. I see 
     the value in a peaceful transition of leadership. I see the 
     value of a ``majority rules'' policy. I see the value of my 
     voice. Therefore, I will not sit back when I have such 
     freedom in my grasp. I will use my voice to make our 
     democracy a better place to be. In the words of Edward 
     Everett Hale, ``I am only one, but still I am one . .  I 
     cannot do everything, but I can do something. . .  and what I 
     can do, I should do . . . and, with the help of God, I will 
     do.''

     

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