Camden Central High School
Camden, Tennessee
Teacher: Wanda Allen

The Right to Help
By Katie Brown
11^th Grade
 

Over 200 years ago in 1776 a document was signed stating that the government derives power from the people. Today we use this right to our advantage in every way. We choose who will govern our country based on their beliefs and morals and we put our trust in them to do the best for our country’s future. As Americans we have this right; unfortunately millions of people in other countries are under the mercy of their government, a government they did not choose. Should we as Americans not help these other people to achieve the freedom we so easily take for granted?
 

Every day children in America are able to wake up and go to school where they receive a free education. Most of these children don’t realize the privilege they have to attend school where they are free to dream of aspiring to be anything they want. Right now the U.S. is in Iraq trying to set up a government where children will be able to have the right to an education and where women will be treated as human beings instead of property. Many Americans take for granted the rights and freedoms they experience every day just walking outside in whatever clothes they choose, to get in their car and tune the radio to their favorite music. We often forget the freedoms we have and the problems of other countries because we are not faced with them everyday.

To be an American is to appreciate the rights guaranteed to us by our Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. We have the freedom to voice our opinions regarding our government and to institute changes as we see fit. We have the freedom to live our lives as independent people and not to be afraid that we will be killed by our government for our individuality. We are not forced to conform to standards set by our government. As Americans it is our job to embrace these rights and to enforce them.
 

We are a prosperous country in both economy and knowledge and given the opportunity we can use our resources to help other countries. In our time we are starting to see the world moving into an interdependent global society. Countries will be relying on each other for resources and government control. If we ever reach a point of global governance it will be important for every country and the people of those countries to work together as one. As Americans I believe we should set the example by working for others to help them achieve the freedoms we live everyday.
 

Our Declaration was set up as a guide for our government and the basic rights for all men. Over 200 years later we can still see these rights at work every day yet we have transformed and changed as a nation, therefore our government has changed with us. The government changes to fit the needs of our nation and the needs of the people. With our ability to accept changes for both the good and bad we can set an example for other governments. We should not just go into a country and set up a government and expect them to follow it. If we set up this government without teaching and demonstrating how it will work we will become nothing more than a crutch, and when we leave the government will fall.
 

It is our responsibility not only as Americans, but also as human beings to try to help others achieve the freedoms and rights we are not only guaranteed but also blessed with. So to be an American is to recognize the freedoms and abilities available to us because of the country we live in and make these rights known to others. It is important for other countries to see that the government must emerge from the people because only they know what will work for them. We can make suggestions and set examples but ultimately it will be left up to each country individually until that time when we will become an interdependent global society.
 

Our nation is far from perfect but the beauty of that is we see what is wrong and we work to change that. It is a kind of evolution where we strive for an unattainable perfection, yet through the work to make it successful we achieve a standard that works for us. It is important to know no government will ever be perfect but that we strive to work for the people of the nation because they are ultimately what is most important.
 

To be an American is an honor because of the privileges and freedoms available to use from the day we are born. Unfortunately not many people from other countries have these privileges available to them so as Americans and as a humans it is our responsibility to work to change that. As one nation we can strive to work together to help others and set an example for a government that works for the people. 
 

Answers To Required Reading Questions

1.)     Explain in your own words the three developments in our culture that have contributed to the disorder Professor Huntington senses in USA today.
 

Professor Huntington talks about multiculturalism, which is the diversity of our country coming together to form one. He also mentions transnationalism where people believe they belong to the world itself but not any individual country. Last Professor Huntington mentions Hispanization, which addresses the rising Hispanic culture and society in America.
 

2.)     Define and discuss the American creed, the ideology that Professor Huntington cites as one of the historic sources of our national identity.
 

He says the principles of the Declaration of Independence are such that hey apply to all men at all time which is essentially what he also calls the American “creed”. The Declaration has been around hundreds of years so it is has become a fundamental part of our history and future.

3.)     Explain the difference between culture and creed according to the Professor.

The creed is the rights of Americans such as government by consent whereas culture is the general aspects of a person’s life such as ethnicity, color, religion, and principle beliefs or morals.

4.) Professor Huntington thinks culture is more important than creed.    
Do you? Explain.           

I do think culture is more important because it influences the American creed. We show our rights and freedoms by choosing which religion we follow and traditions we celebrate as opposed to countries where people are dictated by their government in almost every aspect of their lives.

5.) Discuss “founding” as expressed by Aristotle’s Politics.

Aristotle emphasizes that one of our freedoms is our ability to choose our country’s future based on the men we choose to run it. We elect our government and have the choice to make it diverse to include all aspects of our country. We choose the “founding” of our country.

6.) Complete the sentence attributed to Aristotle’s thinking. “We are just free enough to ___________.” (Fill in the blank)

We are just free enough to change what we can and to take responsibility for the things we cannot change.

7.) Which took precedence in the founding of America; natural law and rights or the British Constitution ?

America’s natural law and rights took precedence over the British Constitution.

8.) What was the reason for the traditional conservatives’ opposition to the rationalism that fueled the French Revolution?
 

These conservatives believed in a country based on the culture of America where the revolutionaries were looking to the natural rights and basic human nature as opposed to culture for their rationalism.

9.)American Intelligence efforts uncovered a group of Taliban leaders attending a funeral by current military terms of engagement no  action could be taken against these “sitting duck” enemies. Why? Is this, in your opinion, a good or bad outcome? Defend your position.
 

Granted we are at war but I believe this says a lot about our country that we can still respect people’s rights such as attending a funeral. This rule was instated based on human nature and rights not just for American citizens.
 

10.) The Geneva Convention require signatories (the USA is one of a multitude of signatories) to enact their own laws in keeping with the ban against torture. Currently, US law prohibits conduct  degenerating the dignity and rights of foreign prisoners that is so narrowly defined as to be coddling to some Americans. The  military acknowledges that this conduct would not be reciprocated by Al Queda and Taliban terrorists. Does this military code of conduct make you proud to be an American? Why or Why not? If not, what should be done to correct the situation.
 

This does make me proud to be an American because we are setting the standard not following others right or wrong. To be an American is to have rights as a human being and freedoms. We show these rights and freedoms to others despite what they do to us.

11.) Can or should America impose its form of government on other nations?
 

Part of our government is our ability to choose said government which is an important aspect because ultimately the government serves the people. I believe we can set an example for other nations but really we can’t set their government up for them. We can help and make suggestions but ultimately the government must come from the people of that nation because if we set it up who knows if it would work for them or even last after we leave.

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