1995-1996 Harry Singer Foundation National Essay Contest
Responsibility Who Has It And Who Doesn't
And What That Means For The Nation
Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
Teacher : Pam Bramlet
"Marijuana is the most controversial drug that I can think of. Some countries do
not even consider it as anything more harmful than alcohol. Several countries have
legalized it, declaring it as "not a threat to society." For instance, if you
travel to Mexico or Australia, you will find that each household is allowed so much of
this so-called drug. An Illinois state report found that in 1994 twelve percent of
teenagers said that they smoked marijuana at least weekly, which is up from six percent in
1990. However, compared to the 1960s, this figure is probably a lot lower. Personally, I
feel that the only way to solve this problem is to legalize it. People are going to grow
it and sell it and smoke it anyway, so why not legalize it. If other countries have
allowed it, than maybe we should try it. The truth about marijuana is that it is less
harmful than regular cigarettes. Maybe the government could regulate the age limit like
they do with the drinking age... what I think we have to remind ourselves is that people
are going to try this illegal drug anyway. [As it stands now] they will probably be more
inclined to try a harder drug because they have already broke the law so they may figure
that while they're at it, why not."
Anna Banks, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"One of the major problems of teenage irresponsibility in our area is pregnancy. Saline and the surrounding counties have the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Illinois. This is not just a statement based on statistics. Students in Harrisburg High School see the truth in this all the time. One example comes to mind where an 18-year-old guy was frequently having sex with a girl he was dating when he was 16 and she was 15. Irresponsibly, they sometimes would not use protection. They broke up, and the girl was later found to be pregnant and had a baby. He knows that it is his kid and sees it occasionally, but he likes to go out and party on the weekends and sometimes weeknights. He chooses to carry on a normal teenage life with a new girlfriend, while the child's mother along with her family take care of the baby.
Parents should also have to take some blame for the mistakes that their kids make.
Responsibility is not an instinct. It must be taught through discipline and love. Due to a
lack of this affection and direction from a generation that has squeezed the last drops
out of the welfare system and taken frivolous lawsuits to court, we now have an apathetic
and greedy Generation X."
Eric Glass, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"According to the Webster's Dictionary, responsibility or being responsible, means
being 'liable to be called upon to answer for one's acts or decisions.' Many people do not
take responsibility for their actions anymore. They make decisions without giving thought
to the consequences. Then they blame someone else for the outcome."
Brian Trammel, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"One thing Harrisburg could propose would be not selling alcohol after a certain
hour like ten o'clock on weekends and eight o'clock on week nights. This would not stop
the problem, but it would certainly slow it down. If alcohol is not available here in town
when someone wants it late at night, the idea of driving out of town just to buy it is not
very appealing."
Ashley Rose, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"There are a number of things that I believe can deter teens from having sex and
prevent them from getting pregnant. First of all, there needs to be more school seminars.
The seminars should be targeted to grade schoolers, ages 10-13, because they are not
sexually active yet. By targeting these seminars on the younger children, they will learn
the problems and consequences of having sex and getting pregnant. The seminars targeted on
high schoolers will help, but not as much as the grade schoolers. For one reason, the high
schoolers are already sexually active or have the ideas or morals set in their
minds."
Brian Grubbs, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"Drinking and driving is often overlooked until something tragic happens to
someone in the community to open people's eyes."
Erin Watson, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois