[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 52 (Monday, April 13, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E474]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         MANZI MASOZERA'S ESSAY

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                            HON. PETE OLSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 13, 2015

  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to interact with some of the 
brightest students in the 22nd Congressional District who serve on my 
Congressional Youth Advisory Council. I have gained much by listening 
to the high school students who are the future of this great nation. 
They provide important insight into the concerns of our younger 
constituents and hopefully get a better sense of the importance of 
being an active participant in the political process. Many of the 
students have written short essays on a variety of topics and I am 
pleased to share them with my House colleagues.
  Manzi Masozera attends Pearland High School in Pearland, Texas. The 
essay topic is: in your opinion, what role should government play in 
our lives?

       Ever since the beginning of time, an institution that 
     organizes a group of human beings has been essential to the 
     stability of any civil society. From the governing bodies of 
     Ancient Greece to Ancient Babylon, government has been around 
     for millennia. Its existence allows for citizens to know what 
     they can or cannot do according to law. Good government 
     brings forth social and political order and creates the most 
     humanly possible form of freedom and equality. Whenever 
     someone breaks the law, whenever someone is on trial, or 
     whenever someone fights for what he or she believes in, the 
     government is there as an aid to make sure justice is served. 
     I believe that the government's role in our daily lives is to 
     abide by the Declaration of Independence and protect our 
     inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of 
     happiness. The differentiating factor of the American 
     government versus the governments of other countries is the 
     fact that America was the first to establish a written 
     constitution that had a bill of rights and was the first to 
     write down the idea of ``God-given'' inalienable rights which 
     for years prior was only conceptualized. While the government 
     states our laws and rights, someone has to be there to 
     enforce it in order for us to retain stability. This is why 
     in our democracy, we have the ability to elect our leaders to 
     govern over us. In America we have the rights to elect 
     senators, congressmen/women, and presidents. These leaders 
     play an important role in our lives because they make sure 
     that the law is followed and they even propose new laws that 
     they feel may improve the status of the country. A good 
     government also allows its citizens to remove leaders if they 
     don't abide by the same laws that the citizens are required 
     to follow. Overall, government is an essential institution 
     that allows for order and stability in our societies. It is 
     necessary for justice to be served for the ones who need it, 
     and protection for the inhabitants of the country. The role 
     government plays in our daily lives is important because it 
     allows for peace to prevail in the ever-growing and 
     globalized world that we live in.

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