I found this essay that I wrote in high school. I am not sure of the date as it isn't written anywhere. Based on some of what I have written, I believe that this was done my senior year in high school, which would have been 1966-67. I also didn't get a grade but received a "Very Good" on it.
I think it is fitting for Veteran's Day as that is what our veterans have and are protecting--our democracy.
Democracy, as the dictionary defines it, is a government that is run by the people who live under it. Abraham Lincoln once said that the United States is a country of the people, by the people, and for the people. To me (in red--In my opinion), this is a very appropriate way of stating the meaning of democracy.
I feel that voting is one of the best ways of preserving our democracy, even though, as a teenager I am not yet able to vote. Yet, this does not mean that I do not have a personal role in preserving the democratic way of life. I feel there are many things that I can do and that my fellow classmates all over America can do to help.
I believe that the home, school, and community are good places in which to start. Unless a person is able to get along with his family and friends, he will do nothing to aid in making this world safe for democracy. Domestic tranquility is an important factor because it has been said, "United we stand; divided we fall."
If the teenagers of today would just stop for a moment and look around them, I think they would realize that there are many things to be done where they are (, in red) before going on to "greater things."
I believe that being a good citizen is by far the most important factor in safeguarding democracy. There are many different ways in which we can be good citizens. There are many laws that much be obeyed such as traffic laws. All of us at one time or another are guilty of a misdemeanor while driving. Teen-agers, it seems, are more guilty of this than adults. Obeying these laws is one of the ways in which we can help.
Obeying laws is not the only important factor, though. Civic drives such as the Heart Fund, Cancer, Polio, and the many others require people to go from house to house collecting funds. We, as students, can help with these drives, and I fell that this is part of being a good citizen.
Today one of our country's biggest problems is the rioting and demonstrations that go on in our cities and our college campuses. Many of these riots and demonstrations are lead by the beatnik-type student, while the participants are average college students from average American homes. I feel that by participating in these riots and demonstrations, a student is at least showing an awareness of what is going on even though he is misdirected. If these students could be lead by realistic leaders, not the beatnik-type, thing of what good things could be done. I believe that it is up to the older generation to direct or generation so that we will be able to do what is right, I feel that these students could be reasoned with and made to realize that in order to insure the preservation of democracy in our own country, there must be democracies in other parts of the world. Many other countries admire our democratic government, and when a nation asks us for help in establishing her own democratic system, I believe it is our duty to assist.
As an individual, I feel that I am doing several things to keep our democracy alive and working. I am a member of our American Field Service chapter and Y-Teens, which is part of the YWCA. The purpose of the American Field Service is to bring the United States and other nations closer together through the exchange of teenage students. "Walk together, talk together, all ye people of he earth and then ye shall have peace" is the motto of AFS. If there is to be peace on earth, then people all over the world will be able to choose their own form of government without anyone tell them which one to have.
The YWCA promotes world fellowship. The Y-Teens, as young members of the YWCA, have many opportunities to participate in civic activities in their own town, and learn about government and the problems it faces. Two summers ago, I attended the National Y-Teen Conference in Washington, D.C. I believe that this experience made me realize what truly fortunate people we are to live in this country. Also being a three-year member of our school's student council, I feel that I have learned much about the workings of government. Even though student government problems are minute compared to the national government's, they are basically the same, and the council is run on the same principles as the national government.
If we are to keep our democracy in the United States, we must remember the words of our late president, John F. Kennedy, when he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for y our country."
It is very interesting to me to see what I thought 50 years ago when I was still in high school. I still feel this way about a lot of things, but not sure what I meant by the "beatnik-type" as this made me laugh just a tad! This was in the middle of the Vietnam War and the beginnings of the many riots and bombings that took place. My entire four years at ASU was when all of this was happening. ASU wasn't a big demonstration school, but there were still things going on. I remember after Kent State happened, it was really scary for a few days.
But the basic premise of what I said then, I still believe now. I took a picture of the paper to show my handwriting. One day my kids and/or Cameron might enjoy this.
I feel that voting is one of the best ways of preserving our democracy, even though, as a teenager I am not yet able to vote. Yet, this does not mean that I do not have a personal role in preserving the democratic way of life. I feel there are many things that I can do and that my fellow classmates all over America can do to help.
I believe that the home, school, and community are good places in which to start. Unless a person is able to get along with his family and friends, he will do nothing to aid in making this world safe for democracy. Domestic tranquility is an important factor because it has been said, "United we stand; divided we fall."
If the teenagers of today would just stop for a moment and look around them, I think they would realize that there are many things to be done where they are (, in red) before going on to "greater things."
I believe that being a good citizen is by far the most important factor in safeguarding democracy. There are many different ways in which we can be good citizens. There are many laws that much be obeyed such as traffic laws. All of us at one time or another are guilty of a misdemeanor while driving. Teen-agers, it seems, are more guilty of this than adults. Obeying these laws is one of the ways in which we can help.
Obeying laws is not the only important factor, though. Civic drives such as the Heart Fund, Cancer, Polio, and the many others require people to go from house to house collecting funds. We, as students, can help with these drives, and I fell that this is part of being a good citizen.
Today one of our country's biggest problems is the rioting and demonstrations that go on in our cities and our college campuses. Many of these riots and demonstrations are lead by the beatnik-type student, while the participants are average college students from average American homes. I feel that by participating in these riots and demonstrations, a student is at least showing an awareness of what is going on even though he is misdirected. If these students could be lead by realistic leaders, not the beatnik-type, thing of what good things could be done. I believe that it is up to the older generation to direct or generation so that we will be able to do what is right, I feel that these students could be reasoned with and made to realize that in order to insure the preservation of democracy in our own country, there must be democracies in other parts of the world. Many other countries admire our democratic government, and when a nation asks us for help in establishing her own democratic system, I believe it is our duty to assist.
As an individual, I feel that I am doing several things to keep our democracy alive and working. I am a member of our American Field Service chapter and Y-Teens, which is part of the YWCA. The purpose of the American Field Service is to bring the United States and other nations closer together through the exchange of teenage students. "Walk together, talk together, all ye people of he earth and then ye shall have peace" is the motto of AFS. If there is to be peace on earth, then people all over the world will be able to choose their own form of government without anyone tell them which one to have.
The YWCA promotes world fellowship. The Y-Teens, as young members of the YWCA, have many opportunities to participate in civic activities in their own town, and learn about government and the problems it faces. Two summers ago, I attended the National Y-Teen Conference in Washington, D.C. I believe that this experience made me realize what truly fortunate people we are to live in this country. Also being a three-year member of our school's student council, I feel that I have learned much about the workings of government. Even though student government problems are minute compared to the national government's, they are basically the same, and the council is run on the same principles as the national government.
If we are to keep our democracy in the United States, we must remember the words of our late president, John F. Kennedy, when he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for y our country."
It is very interesting to me to see what I thought 50 years ago when I was still in high school. I still feel this way about a lot of things, but not sure what I meant by the "beatnik-type" as this made me laugh just a tad! This was in the middle of the Vietnam War and the beginnings of the many riots and bombings that took place. My entire four years at ASU was when all of this was happening. ASU wasn't a big demonstration school, but there were still things going on. I remember after Kent State happened, it was really scary for a few days.
But the basic premise of what I said then, I still believe now. I took a picture of the paper to show my handwriting. One day my kids and/or Cameron might enjoy this.
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