[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 111 (Thursday, September 5, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1518]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CONGRATULATIONS TO MARJORIE CREEN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 5, 2002

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, it is with great admiration and respect 
that I offer congratulations to my constituent, Marjorie A. Creen, of 
Chisago City, Minnesota. Majorie, a senior at Chisago Lakes High School 
has been named winner of the VFW 2002 Voice of Democracy broadcast 
scriptwriting contest. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dennis and 
Judy Creen and was sponsored by VFW Post 7267 in Lindstrom, Minnesota.
  The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and its Ladies 
Auxiliary conduct a Voice of Democracy audio/essay competition designed 
to give high school students the opportunity to voice their opinion on 
their responsibility to our country. The theme of this year's audio/
essay contest was ``Reaching Out to America's Future.''
  Marjorie, on behalf of a very proud constituency: ``Congratulations 
on a job well done.''

                    Reaching Out to America's Future

                          (By Marjorie Creen)

       Will is a small boy. He is in first grade and is 6 years, 8 
     months old. Besides playing tetherball and riding bikes, 
     Will's favorite thing to do is color. He draws pictures for 
     his mom and dad, and for his grandma and grandpa. Recently, 
     Will was coloring a picture of an American flag when he 
     noticed that he didn't have a red crayon. Will is a smart 
     young boy and knew that he needed red to finish his drawing. 
     He searched through his pack of crayons, then on the table, 
     and finally looked to the floor. Low and behold. there was 
     his crayon. Will was quite happy to see it lying a few feet 
     from his desk. He reached out for it, but it was too far 
     away. Frustrated he stretched even more to get it, but still, 
     he could not pick up his red crayon.
       As odd as it may seem, the United States is much like Will. 
     Just like the young boy, we are trying to create something 
     beautiful and perfect for all of us to enjoy. However we too 
     are missing something that we need to make our dream come 
     true. This child has one up on us, though. Will knows what he 
     is missing, therefore he can reach out in order to achieve 
     it. What exactly are we missing? I figured out what I thought 
     we were missing by looking at what the finished drawing 
     should look like.
       When I think of what the United States should be, I think 
     of a place where racial differences do not exist. I see a 
     place where there are no ``bad streets'' in major cities and 
     where people can feel safe to walk alone at night. I want a 
     place where people are less self-absorbed and when a cashier 
     says, ``Have a good day!'' she actually means it. I see a 
     place where the veterans of World War II, Vietnam, and the 
     Persian Gulf are praised and honored for protecting the 
     rights that many people today don't realize we have.
       What all of these things add up to is respect. I feel that 
     that is something major our beautiful country lacks. The 
     reason I think respect is so crucial is because it leads to 
     other effects. Once a country has respect, it then has unity, 
     pride, love, happiness, harmony--;the list is endless!
       To show respect, people could stop swearing at each other, 
     gain more patience in rush hour, allow someone with less 
     items to go in front of them at the grocery store, and 
     remember to stand when the National Anthem is played. Respect 
     is America's red crayon.
       Soldiers, sailors, and airmen fought hard to give their 
     children, and their children's children the freedoms we have. 
     It is hard for us to appreciate these things because we have 
     never seen what is like to not have them. My generation has 
     never known a time where we couldn't voice our opinion, sue 
     someone we were unhappy with, or practice the religion of our 
     choice. These freedoms we enjoy have always been there, and 
     hopefully WILL always be there. I just pray that in the 
     future, my fellow peers will learn the true value of the 
     things that we take for granted. Perhaps we need them to be 
     taken away from us, so then one day we can realize what we 
     had and how truly great it was. Sadly, that will be the day 
     that we finally give the veterans of war the respect they 
     deserve.
       Respect for the fine soldiers who worked hard to preserve 
     our freedom is a giant leap in the right direction. I think 
     that once we show respect for these brave men and women, we 
     will understand the meaning of the National Anthem. The words 
     will no longer be a simple song that is played before the 
     start of a basketball game, it will be the heroic hymn that 
     defines what people have sacrificed to give us our liberty.
       We need to be like Will, the young boy who needs a red 
     crayon. We, the people of this great country, must reach out 
     with arms stretched to the future. Not only must we reach, 
     but we need to stand up, proud and strong, and show respect 
     for the people who fought and died to give us our rights. 
     Respect is what this country needs. Respect for all who live 
     in it, and respect for all who fought for it, so that we 
     could live with freedom, rights, and pride.

     

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