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As we Americans prepare to
celebrate our Bicentennial
Thanksgiving holiday, the
abundant blessings and price–
less privileges we al/ enjoy
should be especial/y appreci–
ated. Yet with privileges come
responsibilities.
Last summer,
The Plain
Truth
sponsored a Bicenten–
nial essay contes t for the
teen-age members of Youth
Opportunities United, a na–
tionwide youth group. The
teen -agers were asked to
write 500 words or less on the
subject "My Responsibility as
an American. " Many we/1-writ–
ten essays were submitted,
but the judges eventual/y se–
lected winners from each of
two age brackets: 12-15 and
16-19.
With our Bicentennial
Thanksgiving holiday ap–
proaching,
The Plain Truth
staff has decided to reprint
the winning essays, which we
hope wi/1 be a source of in–
spiration to every American.
My Responsibility asan American
by
Margi John, Age
17
Petaluma, California
1
t hin k 1 am pretty lucky to be an
American. T his is o nc of the best
pl aces o n ea rth . Maybe 1 am a bi t
bi ased , bu t
J
would no t lradc lh e
freedoms a nd the way of li fc 1 have
he re fo r wha l may or may not exist
in anot he r na tio n.
The lo pic o f my responsib ility as
a n Ame rican is the re fo re a n impor–
tan t one. For the r ights 1 ho ld so
highly are no t given witho ut sl r ings
attachctl. Righls and responsib ililies
go hand in ha nd . fo r if rights are
ab used they ci ther are ta ken away
or cea e to exis t. Take a bas ic r igh t
like freedo m of speeeh as a n ex–
aro p ie. 1f 1 ncve r used lh is ri ght,
never spo ke o ut when some thing
needed to be said , a nd no one e lse
did e ilhe r, lhe righl to spcak o ne's
mind would eas ily be taken away.
The re a re ma ny o the r examples . In
most cases. the way to p reserve a
The
PLAIN TRUTH November 1976
ri ght is to use it. In the case of my
righ t to participate in the governing
of my country, if 1 do not take an
active inte rest in it, do l bave cause
lo compla in?
With my right to " li fe. liberly,
and th e pursu it of happiness" comes
the obligation not to harm anyone
e lse in the p rocess. T ha t may not
seem like much at firs t, bul when 1
look closely at that responsi bili ly il
becomes like Esher's ' 'Metamor–
pose." T he initia l, obvious respons i–
b ili ty is related lo lhe next. This ties
into lhe next, which b lends in to an–
other and another unti l the full
circle is complcted.
To keep my r ights is to use them,
a nd use them well.
lt
is not sitting in
a dark corner of apathy. Nor is it
say ing.
" !
don ' t care whal happens.
1 don ' t fce l li ke gett ing invo lved ."
It
is caring about pcople, because
people are the reason that the rights
exist in thc first place.
Perhaps lhis docs nol sou nd ve ry
red. whi te, a nd blue, s tr iped a nd
s ta rred patriotic. bu t th is is my
country, a nd 1 !ove it, a nd 1 would
never lradc it for any olhe r. 1do no t
think tha t 1 will ever run fo r prcsi–
dent. I doubt very much if 1 will
ever ma ke a discovery lh at wi ll add
to the knowledge of ma nkind; but 1
do inlend to wo rk for a better future
by tryi ng to live up to my responsi–
b il ily as a n Ame ri can, and as a
human be in g.
My Responsi bility asan American
by
Bekah Seward, Age
15
Temple, Oklahoma
M
y Responsibility asan Ameri–
can" is a large topic, bul my
respo nsibility is even large r.
Respo nsibil ity is o ft en igno red be–
cause people don ' t know wha l the ir
responsibility is.
Part o f my respo nsibilily is as a
leader to my community, to my
country, and to my world . 1 am to
be conce rned with the ha ppenings
in my loca l world and in the outs ide
worl d. To be a leade r, 1 need educa–
tio n, ex peri ence, common sense,
a nd courage. Courage to do some–
thing fo r o the rs whe n t hey a re
aga inst me or when the cha nces fo r
winni ng a re very slim.
J
a l o need
diplomacy for ta lking to people.
My responsibility is in the home. 1
am lo help keep my family logether. I
am to listen to my pa rents' point of
view and then tell them mine. 1sha ll
comply with the ir wishes unless they
a re absolu te ly wrong. 1will help wilh
thc housework to prevent one person
being overworked. My responsib il ily
is to respcct my paren ts and help
preserve my family's home life.
Another part ofmy rcsponsibility is
in thecommunity. l am to be someone
pcople can look to for gui d ance. A
person that is able to head com–
mittees or a person lhat is able to
follow othe rs.
1
need to be a person
that wil l help when help is needed.
1
wi ll get facts before 1act. My respon-
ibility in school is to be respeclfu l of
my teachers. l am not tocomplain and
ca use trouble ror others. 1need to help
bring standards, especially moral
standards, up.
Part of my responsibi lity is as a
visita r to nat io ns. When abroad 1
sho uld always put thc "right foot"
forward. The "right foot" is being
mi ndful of thc belids a nd cus toms
of others. 1 am not to insull thcir
intell igence. 1 say this because many
Americans seem to th ink they are
mo re inte ll igen t t han peop le of
olhe r co un lr ies . Th is isn't tr ue.
These people know many things you
and I do n' t know.
My responsi bility to America is to
build he r. 1 am to he lp ed ucatio n by
working as hard as 1 can a t school.
I'm to help s top robbe ry by putti ng
things undcr lock and key a nd out
of sig ht to stop lempting cr imina ls
lo ta ke it. 1 am to stop d rug use and
you th crimes by showing them that
life has bctter th ings to olfer. My
res po nsibility is lo be pro ud of
America and show lhal 1am prou d .
To sum it up is to say that my
responsibi li ty as an American is to
be a n example in all aspects of life,
wheth er as a leader or as a fo llower.
1 am to help keep my family to–
ge ther, to help in the communi ty, to
be m indfu l of othe rs, whc the r
ab road o r not, a nd 1 am to hclp
bui ld America by keeping laws and
helpi ng stop crimes.
Th is isn' t ha lf of my responsibi lity
J
have as a n Amer ican . Thin king
a bo ut lhis has shown me how much
1 have neglected my responsibil ily.
Have you neglccted yours? O
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