[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 69 (Friday, May 24, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E923-E924]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HENRY J. HYDE

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 23, 2002

  Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, every year in my district, I ask students in 
grades 8th and 12th to participate in an essay contest. This year's 
contest focused on the events of September 11, 2001, and how they 
shaped our Nation. Specifically, this year's essay question was as 
follows: ``September 11, 2001, was a shock felt around the world. Our 
country was attacked by suicidal, fanatic terrorists. It must be our 
resolve to protect America. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. 
How can our government protect us at home and abroad?''
  I am pleased that so many students chose to enter this essay contest. 
Unfortunately, however, there can only be one winner in each group: 8th 
grade and 12th grade. This year's 8th grade winner was Melissa DeLeo 
from Chicago. She attends Mary, Seat of Wisdom School in Park Ridge, 
IL. The 12th grade winner was Karen Differ from Niles, IL. She attends 
Maine Township High School South in Park Ridge, IL.
  Ms. DeLeo's untitled essay is as follows:

       I have been taught that America stands for freedom, 
     equality, liberty and justice for all. I believe this even 
     now more than ever before. This is our America, the America 
     that many men and women fought for, the America that is the 
     land of opportunities and my America, the America where I 
     have the opportunity to write this essay with my right of 
     freedom of speech. Our America was attacked, but there are 
     ways that our government and we, the American people, can 
     protect ourselves. I think that there are three

[[Page E924]]

     main areas of concern. These three areas are: the 
     coordinating all of the government agencies with sharing 
     information, our readiness for the possibility of future 
     attacks and granting aide to those nations that support us in 
     our effort against terrorism.
       The first way I think we can better protect ourselves is 
     with the coordination of all of the government agencies. This 
     cooperation must inform the public not only of possible 
     attacks but also with instructions of how to react and what 
     we should be doing to help with security during these times. 
     Then the government agencies must introduce a new form of 
     coordination applied to the use of their planning, 
     communication and organizations. Such as compatible computer 
     files and disks accessed by the computers shared by the 
     organizations and government agencies. This way we would all 
     have access to the same information and the same amount of 
     details to make the operation, as a whole, a bigger success. 
     By coordinating all of the government agencies, none of these 
     details or important information will be missed or 
     overlooked. Also, by keeping the American people well 
     informed we would be able to know where our help and our 
     financial aide are needed.
       The second way I think we can better protect ourselves is 
     readiness for the possibility of future attacks. This means 
     greater airport security, matching every bag in the airport 
     to a person, patrolling the American borders and the careful 
     consideration of all the information gathered. This may mean 
     longer lines in the airport, more hours of intense labor for 
     the airport and police officials and more of our budget will 
     be consumed by the Army and government agencies. Even though 
     these difficulties may occur, I'm sure that people would 
     understand it is for our safety and security. Also, I think 
     many would believe that waiting in a line for one hour 
     instead of a half of an hour would be worth it knowing that 
     we are going to be better protected and safe.
       The third way I think that we can better protect ourselves 
     is by giving aide to the nations that support us. This means 
     that we should send supplies and financial assistance to the 
     nations that are wholeheartedly joining the effort against 
     terrorism in the world. This will help them to continue their 
     effort and this will also inspire other nations to join the 
     effort against terrorism. This will show the terrorists that 
     the United States of America and many other nations are 
     willing and able to stand up and put an end to their 
     intimidation and terrorism on the world. Only then we could 
     put an end to all of this tragedy that has happened for no 
     reason at all. Then by getting more nations involved they 
     would be able to contribute their different areas of 
     knowledge so that we could better see the different aspects 
     of the situation and all of the possibilities of security and 
     planning. Also if every nation tried to eliminate the 
     terrorism located in their areas of the world that would be 
     one step at a time to helping to end all terrorism.
       Therefore, the three main areas of concern that I think we 
     should focus on are: coordinating all of the government 
     agencies with sharing information; readiness for the 
     possibility of future attacks; and granting aide to the 
     nations that support us. These are some of the ways that 
     would give us a start on ridding the world of terrorism and 
     making the world a safer, more peaceful and happier place.
       I am an eighth grader that already has many hopes, dreams 
     and goals for the future. When the Sept. 11 tragedy occurred, 
     many people thought our nation would be divided. They were 
     wrong. Our nation really put the phrase, ``United States of 
     America'' into action. People bonded together like no 
     American has ever seen before. All Americans showed respect, 
     love and compassion for each other which once was hidden by 
     greed and selfishness, and now was shown through love, 
     helpfulness and courage. We, or at least I, now have a deeper 
     understanding of the meaning of the great and amazing value 
     of life, and now try to live every day to the fullest. Our 
     nation has learned that what before each person thought of as 
     their own dream can only be reached when we work together and 
     help one another feel the support and strength of the true 
     United States of America. We are Americans and UNITED we 
     STAND FOREVER.

  Ms. Differ's essay, entitled ``Protection from Within,'' is as 
follows:

       Right now the United States government is revisiting a 
     question that dates back to the writing of the Constitution--
     what role should the government play in protecting its 
     citizens? The events of Sept. 11th have made it apparent that 
     the current role of the government no longer ensures national 
     security. So what changes should the government make in order 
     to protect its citizens? This question is very difficult to 
     answer because the government needs to safeguard its citizens 
     from those wishing to inflict harm upon the United States and 
     it also needs to ensure citizens their constitutional rights. 
     While the government of the United States serves to uphold 
     constitutional rights, lead, and protect the people of 
     America, the true strength of the United States of America is 
     found in its people. Since Sept. 11th United States citizens 
     have further demonstrated their commitment to the freedoms 
     and principles the United States is based upon through 
     tremendous waves of patriotism and selfless giving. The 
     United States government's greatest defense in stopping 
     terrorism and protecting its citizens is found in utilizing 
     the resource of its citizens. By creating greater channels of 
     communication between government security agencies and common 
     citizens while also working to monitor possible security 
     threats, the United States government would be able to 
     implement a greater degree of security domestically, 
     nationally, and internationally.
       The United States government can protect its residents by 
     drawing upon the knowledge of citizens through a network of 
     security agencies. One of the most effective ways to 
     eradicate crime in a community is through a neighborhood 
     watch program. A neighborhood watch program helps to provide 
     a sense of community in a neighborhood and teaches people to 
     look out for one another. A neighborhood watch also sends the 
     message to criminals in a community that violence and crime 
     are not tolerated. This same type of approach needs to be 
     taken with domestic security. United States citizens need to 
     work together at the local level to spot suspicious activity 
     and possible security threats within their own communities. 
     After all, no one knows better than the resident of a 
     community when something just does not seem right. One way 
     the government could utilize the power of the ``neighborhood 
     watch'' is through greater channels of communication with 
     individual communities. The government could create a free 
     flow of voluntary security information by creating a network 
     of local government security agencies and making them very 
     accessible to citizens. This national network of local 
     government security agencies would be in conjunction with 
     local police departments and promote the principles of a 
     neighborhood watch. Like police officers, the security agents 
     would be trained in dealing with suspicious behavior and in 
     handling terrorist activity. However, these agents would 
     serve more as mediators in a community and informants to 
     national government security agencies and less as patrolmen. 
     Local security agencies would also have the function of 
     securing public places that could pose specific threats if 
     accessed by the wrong people, like nuclear power plants and 
     airports. Agents could make sure that proper security 
     procedures are taking place in these institutions and could 
     notify national security agencies if something were to go 
     wrong. Local agents would also be responsible for making sure 
     that all visa information for visitors in the United States 
     in their assigned community is kept up-to-date and is legal. 
     If security threats are stopped at a local level there will 
     be a great reduction of security threats at the national 
     level.
       In addition to protecting its citizens domestically, the 
     United States government needs to protect its citizens 
     internationally. While creating local neighborhood programs, 
     the United States government could also use the same ideology 
     to create a ``national neighborhood watch''. This watch would 
     consist of countries devoted to stopping terrorism and 
     providing protection of freedom to all of the world's people. 
     The national neighborhood watch could be formed as a 
     committee through an existing organization that promotes 
     peace--the United Nations. Through the United Nations the 
     world neighborhood committee could effectively monitor 
     possible international security threats and send the message 
     to rouge nations that criminal behavior and terror will not 
     be tolerated in the world community. By forming bonds with 
     other nations committed to the same security goals as the 
     United States, the national neighborhood watch could 
     peacefully identify and stop harmful terrorist activity 
     before it is executed.
       Since Sept. 11th every single American has been robbed of 
     the peace and security that once characterized the United 
     States of America. The only way to reclaim our security is 
     through hard work and cooperation with our neighbors and with 
     our government. We need to look out for our neighbors and 
     assist them when they are in need. We need to report activity 
     that ``just doesn't seem right.'' It is our responsibility as 
     the American people and the American government to work 
     together with the world community to restore the peace felt 
     before Sept. 11, 2001. After all, if we as Americans let the 
     terrorists rob us of our peace and security then they have 
     won.

     

                          ____________________