[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 108 (Thursday, September 14, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1493-E1494]
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

                      Thursday, September 14, 2000

  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 principal 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, Robert Arroyo, a student at Immanuel Lutheran School in 
Elmhurst, placed first in the Junior High Division with an essay 
entitled Just as American as Apple Pie, a text of which I include in 
the Record. Placing second in the Junior High Division is Bethany 
Bredehoft, a student at Immanuel Lutheran School in Elmhurst; and Liz 
Juranek, a student at Algonquin Middle School in Des Plaines, placed 
third.
  In the Senior High Division, Kate Brenan, a student at Driscoll 
Catholic High School in Addison, placed first with her essay entitled 
Rule of Law, a text of which I include in the Record. Steven Pyter, a 
student at Lake Park High School in Roselle, placed second; and John 
Fennell, a student at Driscoll Catholic High School in Addison, placed 
third.

                           (By Robert Arroyo)

                     Just as American as Apple Pie

       Being a responsible citizen is just as American as apple 
     pie. A good apple pie has a firm, moist, brown, crust 
     surrounding a sweet filling of sliced apples with cinnamon, 
     topped with a cool scoop of ice cream. A good citizen is 
     surrounded by important freedoms called civil rights. They 
     include freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of 
     assembly, and trial by jury. An American citizen has the 
     right to vote for the President and members of Congress and 
     to run for government office himself. A U.S. citizen has the 
     right to own things, live where he wants, go to a good 
     school, and travel throughout the United States.
       Our government protects and supports its citizens like an 
     apple pie is protected and supported by its crust. In return, 
     we must be responsible citizens just as the apple pie has a 
     sweet, spicy fruit inside it for us to enjoy.
       A responsible citizen knows what his government is doing. 
     He tries to find out what is happening. He reads newspapers. 
     He watches and listens to the news on television and radio.
       A responsible citizen knows the names of the president and 
     vice president of the United States and their duties as well 
     as the governor of his state and his duties. A responsible 
     citizen also knows the head of the government for his city, 
     town and county along with their duties. A responsible 
     citizen must keep informed on what is going on around him. 
     Then be must exercise his right to vote by making responsible 
     choices when he elects government officials.
       Every responsible citizen knows ``The Star-Spangled 
     Banner,'' our national anthem, as well as ``The Pledge of 
     Allegiance'' to the flag. When a citizen pledges allegiance 
     to his flag, he promises loyalty and devotion

[[Page E1494]]

     to his nation. Each word has a deep meaning. If the United 
     States is called to war, a responsible citizen may be called 
     to serve in the armed forces or help out to the best of his 
     ability on the home front.
       A responsible citizen must obey the laws of the land as 
     well as the laws of the state, city and county. Every 
     responsible citizen must drive safely and never drive drunk. 
     He respects the rights of others and the property of others. 
     He does not do drugs, and he helps the police by reporting 
     any suspicious persons hanging around the neighborhood. The 
     police and other law enforcement agencies need help. They 
     cannot fight crime unless everyone works together to help 
     them.
       Another way to be a responsible citizen is by paying one's 
     taxes. Our tax money provides us with teachers, firemen, 
     policemen, and the armed forces. Better roads, schools, 
     libraries, and parks are built from tax money. Some of our 
     tax money also goes to help those less fortunate than we are. 
     That is why a responsible citizen must always pay his fair 
     share of taxes.
       Being a responsible citizen means other things, too. A 
     responsible citizen helps to conserve America's natural 
     resources and to keep America beautiful. Every citizen can 
     take part in cleaning up the community, planting trees, and 
     saving water and energy at home.
       Now we are ready for that cool scoop of ice cream on our 
     apple pie. Being kind and understanding toward our fellow 
     citizens is just like the topping on an apple pie because it 
     adds that final caring touch. Therefore, a responsible 
     citizen will volunteer to help other people whenever possible 
     in his family, school, and community.

                                  ____
                                  

                              Rule of Law

                            (By Kate Brenan)

       The rule of law is the basis of the American government, it 
     is embedded in the structure of our constitution. It inspired 
     our founding fathers and all subsequent government leaders; 
     it is the foundation of our democracy and it allows judicial 
     decisions to be as important as legislation. The rule of law 
     is a philosophical concept that promotes a government of 
     laws--not a government of men. By human nature, humans can be 
     fickle or subjective despite the need for objectivity in 
     important decisions, Laws, however, are unchanging, 
     theoretically unbiased and provide a foundation for further 
     development of government regulations and policies. 
     Therefore, laws also provide a solid point of reference for 
     making important government decisions. The rule of law also 
     states that government and court decisions are based on 
     previously passed laws or court decisions. This prevents 
     arbitrary rulings of judges due to personal biases and 
     ensures a consistency within the law.
       The rule of law emphasizes the permanent influence of 
     judicial decisions on future rulings. The innate power of a 
     government based on rule of law therefore lies in the court 
     system. Monumental judicial decisions have influenced 
     countless other similar cases. Cases regarding the 
     desegregation of American schools, for example, greatly 
     influenced the public's overall acceptance of racial harmony.
       The rule of law is vital to democracy because of its 
     authority in regard to continuous government decisions. 
     Applications of known laws or previous court decisions allow 
     for more objective reasoning in future decisions. It 
     therefore allows for a fluid and changing model of standard 
     American law, which encourages the changing face of America 
     to challenge court decisions, legislation and leaders. This 
     results in a more involved community and a more true 
     democracy. Judges are able to correct previous decisions by 
     ruling them unconstitutional. These decisions subsequently 
     influence countless other court cases across the nation. Our 
     democracy is based on equal representation and voting rights. 
     If we had a rule of man, our inalienable rights might be 
     manipulated on a case by case situation. The rule of law 
     makes judges and legislators realize the reverence of their 
     decisions, ensuring more just and responsible decisions.
       These decisions that enforce the power of the law in the 
     United States are not found everywhere. Other countries have 
     suffered from malicious dictators in the past, Hitler being 
     the most notorious in recent history. Some democratic 
     governments place too much executive power in the hands of 
     too few people. The United States' revolutionary and 
     progressive history has been an example to many countries, 
     however, and our success with the rule of law is being 
     emulated across the globe. The way in which our government is 
     set up with three branches, supported by the rule of law and 
     a strong republic, ensures a balance so the people's concerns 
     are addressed and their opinions are taken to heart at all 
     times. Ideally this results in a more true democracy, where 
     the public's sentiments are revered, Since previous court 
     cases are applicable to each following case, the public can 
     keep the government in check.
       The rule of law not only sets precedence in regard to 
     government decisions, but affects society as well. We are 
     more likely to recall past decisions of bosses, teachers or 
     other authority figures and apply them to decisions 
     concerning our own future, reflecting the emphasis of rule of 
     law in our lives. Without the protection and assurance that 
     laws will be the basis for decisions and arbitrary rulings 
     are unconstitutional, our government loses its power. Laws 
     are meaningless without structure and people to enforce them 
     and that structure is fallible without the protection of an 
     absolute rule of law.

     

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