[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 170 (Monday, December 10, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2244]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        ESSAY BY PHILIP ALDRIDGE

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. C.L. ``BUTCH'' OTTER

                                of idaho

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, December 10, 2001

  Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, in the wake of September 11th, our view of 
America has shifted. It is as if someone cleaned the window of our 
perspective, removing the dirt of cynicism and distrust and allowing us 
to see anew the opportunities that being Americans offers us. Suddenly, 
we have joined together, united in our resolve to both fight for 
freedom and to appreciate the freedoms we have. Rather than bickering 
over petty differences, we find ourselves more willing to reach out to 
each other, more aware of the basic truths on which our country was 
founded, and more thankful to those who fought and died to ensure that 
we can enjoy freedom.
  Our renewed sense of patriotism and gratefulness is expressed through 
the eyes of our young people. Philip Aldridge, an eighth grader from 
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, reminds us about how blessed we are to call 
ourselves Americans. His essay, ``America's Heroes'', was written in 
honor of Veteran's Day on November 11th. I would like to thank Philip 
for sharing his thoughts with me. His words inspire us to show 
appreciation for the freedoms we enjoy but often take for granted.

                            America's Heroes

                          (By Philip Aldridge)

       Have you ever stopped and thought about how nice it is to 
     live in America? More often than not, our society takes the 
     hard-earned freedoms that have been bestowed upon us for 
     granted. These rights and freedoms upon which our country was 
     built have been challenged many times and yet we still stand 
     strong and united. For this we can recognize all the men and 
     women of America who have fought with great pride and who 
     gave their lives for what they so strongly believed in. These 
     are our veterans.
       Our country enjoys many freedoms not recognized by many. 
     But do you realize that these are what make our nation 
     strong? One of these rights is freedom of religion. Our 
     country was inhabited and founded by men and women who 
     unfortunately had religion forced upon them. Religious 
     tolerance, which means the willingness to accept faith 
     different from your own, was put into place during the birth 
     of our country.
       Every four years we elect a president. And every four 
     years, people complain about who was elected. If you look at 
     other countries, the people don't even choose who their 
     leader is. In most cases, the leader either comes from a line 
     of royalty or he assembles himself with full power. We the 
     people of America, are very fortunate to have a freedom to 
     vote.
       The most well-known freedom in our society is freedom of 
     equality. In the Declaration of Independence, it states that 
     all men are created equal. This means that whether you're of 
     a different race or if you're a male or female, everyone has 
     equal rights.
       Any citizen of the United States should be deeply grateful 
     for these freedoms for which soldiers have fought and 
     defended. We can show appreciation for these privileges by 
     serving our country, respecting its laws, and honoring 
     America's heroes and patriots . . . our veterans.

     

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