First Round Excerpts From 1998-99 Essay Contest

           JOLIET CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, JOLIET, ILLINOIS
  1st Neal Brockett         2nd Jennifer Zentmyer     3rd Rosemarie Breske

Founding Fathers
"We cannot fault our founding fathers for focusing on the individual. Their situation called for the emphasis on personal liberties. They also realized the need for protecting the common good and created a constitution that would grow with us. They also established a system consisting of several departments which must work together. This was done to insure a good balance between individual rights and the welfare of the community."
Constance-Marie Colome, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"Another reason why the founding fathers of our country probably gave more importance to community protection is that they had been fighting a war with England for many years before the official independence of our country. They wanted to be safe should war break out again, hence the third amendment and a tighter community."
Adam Ferni, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"I don’t agree with Schoenbrun and his view that the founding fathers put greater emphasis on the community over individual liberties. The country then had just fought a war over their individual freedoms. The most important part of the constitution was the bill of rights."
Jayne Marie Bernhard, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"When the founding fathers wrote the Constitution the United States had become free from Great Britain’s tyranny. At the time in Great Britain the rights of individuals were not too big. The founding fathers knew this to be true by the way Great Britain tried to control The United States. It is because of this that the founding fathers said that citizens of America have certain inalienable rights as well as the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is important to note that it does not say life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as long as it is not damaging the community. The founding fathers, in my opinion, put a greater emphasis on the rights of individuals."
Abel Alvarado, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Nights
"Curfews are infringements on our personal rights. Most cities in America have laws that prohibit minors from being on the streets after a given time. The apparent reason they have these laws is that just a few people out of many mess it up for everyone else by participating in illegal acts late at night.
   The answer to that is to get more police officers out on the streets at night. They will be able to stop the wrongdoers while protecting the innocent, law abiding citizens that just happen to be outside at night for whatever reason. This way, the community can be relatively safe and peaceful at night, and our personal rights will not be violated."
Adam Ferni, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Balance
"I think that people have a right to make mistakes and that we should have the freedom of ignorance on some occasions. Sometimes it is good that the welfare of the community isn't always put before the welfare of the individual because people do have their moments and are not always going to think about the community and they will think about themselves. It is only right for a person to be that way. But when an individual constantly ignores the common good society then they would need a little help in remembering their fellow man."
Kathryn Goolsby, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"Our job is to make compromises, where we are still allowed our own freedoms, but at the same time, promoting the welfare of the community."
Whitney Cawley, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"How does the role of personal responsibility balance individual liberty and the common good? If all we cared about was ourselves and never did the work that we were required to do, we would make others suffer including ourselves. For example, if I went to work and didn’t do the job that I was required to fulfill, my boss would make someone do the work that I was supposed to do including their own work. The person who becomes overworked and underpaid for taking my role in the business would not get the job completed because there is not enough time for him to complete both jobs. The customers would be hurt b the bad service, and the company would get a bad name. I would inevitably be fired, and the money I would use for skating on Friday nights would be lost along with the spirit of liberty I obtained from receiving money for the work. "The good we secure for ourselves in precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life." We must not just think for ourselves because it effects more people then can be imagined."
Albert Weihofen, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"Shoenbrun said that balancing rights of the individual and the community’s welfare should be left to the police and our courts. I disagree. I take a more idealistic approach and say that we should determine that balance. Now we can’t just whine and moan and expect things to get done. We need to take desired action through legislation. Our Senate and House of Representative members have the job to vote in the way in which the people who elected them wish them to vote. Unfortunately there is either apathy or unproductive whining when people want something changed. If everyone just called, wrote, or spoke to their congressmen it would be a lot clearer and accurate representation in Congress. This would mean our courts and police would be protecting and enforcing the balance that we choose to have.
   There are many instance where the government comes in conflict with the people. This is not how it was meant to be. Government should reflect the people, not government ruling the people. I feel that we need to get the balance of power to swing back to the individual and away from the group. It seems rather idealistic but many great things have come from idealistic ideas."
Neal Brockett, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Guns
"This act tried to protect children while they are at school and in the surrounding area. This act also tried to stop children from brining guns to school by making them look at the consequences. However if a person truly wants to harm a student they will still come around or wait until the student is out of the area that is protected. In addition, if a student truly wants to bring a gun to school they can hide it in their bookbag or in bushes nearby, and a law really is not going to stop someone who truly wants to harm others."
Andrea C. Buzan, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"I firmly believe that guns should not be owned or used anywhere except in the army. Many people say they keep a gun in their homes for defense reasons, but that also makes them easily accessible to be used by teens and children. I think of the kindergartner in Chicago who recently brought a gun to school. What is that saying about our society, when a little boy knows how to use a gun before he can read?"
Whitney Cawley, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"Recently a student brought a gun to my school. I heard that the student brought it for protection because they had been in a previous engagement with someone. If the person with the gun was nervous that day and someone just bumped into them n accident, the gun could have flown out and shot that clumsy person one second before they squeaked out an apology! I’m clumsy and at school I am also scared! My high school has a reputation for being full of gangs, but you learn to avoid them. Besides, they get lost in the bigger population of people trying to better themselves. Something is very wrong I the home of the free where a kid can’t walk free of fear on the sidewalk in front of his house and the land of the brave where I’m scared to go to school if I accidentally step on someone’s toes. Guns, no matter who they help, don’t belong anywhere near schools!"
Katharine A. McNichols, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"Back two hundred or so years ago when the founders of this nation sat around the convention with pen in hand and gun on hip, I am almost positive that they could not even imagine that guns would turn out to be such a huge problem. I can certainly understand that in these crazy days it is almost necessary to have a gun in the house for protection. It is the personal responsibility of every person to be educated on how to use their gun. The government should regulate who can get a gun, but that is also a tight rope to walk on. Guns have gotten out of control."
David Patrick, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"My school, Joliet Central, is on a bad side of Joliet where fear of gangs roaming the streets is high. No student would need a handgun if the school is as tightly secured as ours. This act can give the police a reason to take handguns from gang members who threaten the schools safety. But how can the Supreme court take back the right to bear arms? This decision is like a flip of the coin. What the government does to protect the community hurts the gun owners. What it does to protect gun owners kills innocent students."
Albert Weihofen, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"What I suggest about the gun issue is to pass a law on the misuse of handguns, not the possession of one."
Abel Alvarado, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"The only way to keep guns from entering our schools is to keep them from being available to children and, even more important, keep the desire to bring them out of the mind of the children."
Joseph A. Facchina, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"Police officers and judges represent the best that a community has to offer, that would make them the best fit to decide what is in the best interest of the common good."

"The Supreme Courts ruling against the Gun-Free School Zone act was very unwise. We have to look at the recent situations we have had with shooting rampages in schools and how voting for the law might have helped. Not only could this law make students as well as anyone else be more hesitant to bring guns in and around schools, it would make the students feel more safer."
Wendell Martin, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"I do agree with the Supreme Court’s rulings against the Gun-Free School Zones Act. The cons include the protection and well being of students. Another con is that the violence around school will be reduced. The pros are that students are not protected if a crazed individual brings a gun to school. The security guards do not have guns. Who will protect us? No one. We are but mere targets to this crazed individual. Security guards and some teachers should have guns. Deans and the principal should also be allowed to carry guns. That way we could be protected from the dangers of guns at school. By doing this, this crazed individual would not bring a gun to school, knowing that others also have guns and could fire back."
Yaniro Paramo, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Responsibility
"In conclusion, when it comes to balancing personal responsibility with the welfare of the common good, is one of the hardest decisions you make in life. Even though you may have the right to do something, it can be in conflict with the welfare of society, so it’s up to you decide what’s best for you AND the community."
Tara Johnson, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"There are no rules stating what each persons personal responsibilities are. Everyone has different feelings on what they believe their personal responsibilities are and nobody else can tell you that something is your responsibility. I believe that my three basic personal responsibilities are to take care of everyone around me, to take care of the Earth, and to do the best I can at everything I do.
   Possibly the most important personal responsibility is to always try your hardest and do your best at what ever you do. If you do your best at everything you do then you will provide yourself with more personal liberties and help the common good. If you just sit around and do just enough to get by then you are not fulfilling your personal responsibilities. You have to take charge in your life and make decisions. You can’t let other people make your decisions."
Brian Doyle, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"We are slowly moving back to what we want least; no control over our own actions. We must act responsibly and teach others to do the same. This is the only way to have complete freedom. Only if we can do this will our affairs be our own."
Joseph A. Facchina, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"Until we take responsibility for our actions we’ll have to have big brother watching us."
Keith Kristinet, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"Each individual needs to take care of their responsibilities and then the good of the group is achieved as well."
Neal Brockett, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"It is our responsibility to raise healthy adults. Adults that know the difference between right and wrong. People that are responsible for their actions and accept the consequences. We heave to be good role models and mentors to the youth in our country. If the only people the youth in our country see are irresponsible and irrational adults; then how are they going to learn how to be productive members of our society? We have to educate our youth and teach them to converse over coffee instead of killing each other over an argument. For example, when I had a dispute with another student I went to a school counselor to schedule a peer mediation. We successfully worked out our differences at the mediation rather than physically fighting.
   Our task as residents of this country is to participate. We must be activists and act when we see inadequacies in our society. It is our personal responsibility to petition our government, to vote, and take part in the decisions that shape our community. It is our duty to be educators; educating our youth and the community in the best interests of the common good. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "What is man born for, but to be a reformer of what man has made, a renouncer of lies, a restorer of truth?"
Jennifer Zentmyer, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Another View of Responsibility
"As people grow up, it is instilled in them that their number one responsibility is themselves, which may be the truest statement of all. If everyone looked out for themselves, instead of worrying about everyone else, just maybe, this world would be a much better place. That doesn’t mean that you don’t have respect for others, it just simply means that if you are good to yourself, you will in turn be good to others. Imagine how the death tolls would go down if some lonely teenagers didn’t have to resort to gang membership to feel like they had a responsibility to something."
Rosemarie S. Breske, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Parenting
"It is a parent’s responsibility to teach a child that drinking is bad and that smoking is harmful. It is the parents who have to set a good example for their kids. If a parent is a negative influence, it really wouldn’t matter what is being advertised. The child is most likely to follow in the parent’s footsteps. With positive re-enforcement, a child can be open to all situations and still have enough common sense to know right from wrong."
Michele Meade, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"To start off, the parents, and/or family, of many teens are doing their job. I’ll never forget, my freshman year I knew a girl who was pregnant. When a teacher asked her what her parents thought she replied, "Man, my momma don’t care as long as she don’t have to baby-sit." I later asked her what her parents said about her having sex, Nothing," she said "They knew I was doing it for a long time, but they never did anything about it." The point I’m trying to make is that to help prevent their teens from becoming pregnant the parents must talk to them. The parents can share alternatives to sex and their opinions on the matter. Sometimes just talking about it can help prevent a teen birth. If the teen is already having sex, giving him/her a strong support system will help boost their self-esteem hopefully high enough that they realize they don’t need to have sex to express their love. If you feel you know a teen who you feel is in danger of becoming a mother or father, take action. Talk to them. Try to understand why they are doing what they are, and try to help them. Don’t talk down to them, but treat them as an adult, because that’s how they feel."
Ariele Fiarman, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Freedom
"When they wrote the Constitution, they wanted to ensure many freedoms, after coming from England, where their freedoms were few. But in today's society, many people take advantage of their individual rights to a point where they hurt the common good of the people. By giving people so many freedoms, it is hard to limit them, or take them away."
Whitney Cawley, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Constitution
"The Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of speech. When a person in the community has a bad affect on everyone else, the community shuts out that person. For example, a person that shoots guns into the air for no reason is shunned from the community. The judge of this case would say disturbing the peace of the community. The person has his rights violated by not having free speech, but the community is not burdened or annoyed by this person. In this situation one person’s rights are violated and the entire community benefits from it. In a nutshell, the greatest good for the greatest number is an accurate description of the way our founding fathers felt about community vs. individual rights."
Katharine A. McNichols, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"Personal freedom is paramount to the United States Constitution. The individual has the right to do nearly whatever they want, whenever they want, however, they feel like doing it. Had this concept of individual freedom not been stated by our founding fathers, the world could have taken a completely different shape. Monarchies would still prevail and severe social conditions would determine what an individual was allowed to do. Indeed, what makes America so special is that it is made up of a mass of free individuals. It is the individual’s responsibility to treat these rights with respect. Or, as the saying goes, 'a chain is only as strong as its weakest link'. We must preserve the rights of the individual first, then given attention to the masses."
Jake Vinsel, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Governments Role
"If you want the world to be safe then you are going to have to compromise by following curfews, smog inspections, gun control laws and all the other laws the government provides to try and keep the world safe. You may not agree with all the methods the government uses to protect people but there are other people who want these laws and believe these laws are helping the common good. So, if you want what’s good for individual liberties and the common good then you are going to have to compromise and sacrifice some of your individual liberties. After all the government can’t please everybody."
Brian Doyle, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"The problem is that the Federal government thinks they know why problems form and then they try to fix the problem from their false point of view.
   Laws against prostitution and lawson curfew are two very good reasons why I think that the Federal government isn’t doing their job. I do not see how curfews will limit the rate of criminal activities among teenagers. Just because a person is out past a certain time does not mean that that person will commit a crime. The curfew law is taking away our individual right to merely be out of the house. The same thing can be said about laws prohibiting prostitution. Prostitution is a victimless crime, if you can even call it a crime. The government is doing this because of all the sexual transmitted diseases out there that can infect a person by having sexual intercourse. Though this may be commendable it is not very smart when you consider the fact that cigarettes are legal. The only difference between the two is that a pack of cigarettes has a Surgeon General warning label on it telling you of the possible diseases that you can get by smoking. A community is only as good as the government that governs them and if the government is too blind to see every issue from every point of view and make the best decision they shouldn’t expect people to agree with them taking away a lot of our individual rights."
Abel Alvarado, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"Should other people really decide on choices that affect us personally? For example, shouldn’t a person be able to decide what toxins they put in their bodies? Why is alcohol legal and marijuana illegal? You never hear of a person dying of marijuana poisoning, or killing a family of six because they were too high to drive. Yet, alcohol is legal and in the long run probably causes more problems than products that are banned. We all need to make our own decisions at times, but at times it is hard for us to do so because the decision has already been made."
Lauren Adams, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"The government contradicts itself with some of laws passed. For example, the leaders of our country, in attempt to separate church and state for the common good, have taken prayer out of public schools. However, we print United States currency everyday that reads, In God We Trust. How can we say we trust in God and yet take prayer out of school? Also, in grade school we were made to say the Pledge of Allegiance everyday which states, One Nation Under God, yet we still were not allowed to pray out loud. In these types of situations we have to exercise what we believe as well as ask the government to be true to theirselves by asking the question, Are we truly one nation under God if we are not allowing prayer in schools?"
Wendell Martin, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"There is a case in Illinois where a nine year old boy was supposedly being home schooled, but when a teacher asked him to count to ten, he could only go up to eight. Because of cases like this, I believe it is the responsibility of the government to intervene. They should give random tests to all children who are home schooled to see if they meet the minimum requirements for their grade. If children do not pass these tests, they should either be placed in school, or a tutor should be provided for them. The government should care about America’s youth, it should care enough to make sure we are being properly trained to take on the world when we grow up."
Rosalind Bowers, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Teens
"We really need to be allowed to make our own decisions, but maybe even more importantly, allowed to make our own mistakes. Not only so we can share our experience with others, but also so we can learn from them."
Lauren Adams, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"Although responsibility stays with us throughout our whole lives, it seems to hit us the hardest when we are teens. This is because teens are just starting to learn the fundamentals of life and are growing up in general. To elaborate, they feel a need to prove to everyone, including themselves, that they can survive in the society of today.
   Young adults have the task of supporting themselves and preparing for the outside world. Young adults have the responsibility to figure out what they want to make of their lives and what they want to do with themselves. These tasks are easier said than done. The first step of becoming independent is the responsibility of working in jobs that are not highly regarded and you are not very enthusiastic about. The little money made from these jobs needs to be saved to live on and for the future. After this, the continuous application of newly acquired skills and education can add up and help earn a higher ranking and better paying job. Responsibilities that are learned at school, such as punctuality and respect for others and their property should be applied at the job.
   To sum up, responsibility is a part of everyone’s life. In the world of today, young adults have an incredible burden and the responsibility hits them hard. Responsibility comes no matter what path is chosen. The task of being responsible comes too early for most of us. Kids should be kids instead of growing up too fast. After adulthood comes, there is no turning back."
Amanda Cleaver, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"Curfew should not be allowed. The police should only worry if a place is getting out of hand. If these people are teenagers they should be ask to leave. The police should not have the right to say get in your car and go home because of what time it is. The parents of these kids should know where they are at and what time they are coming home. The community in which the teens live in should have placed where teens can find entertainment."
Nicole Martin, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"Another issue that people are dying to tip toe around is gangs. The constitution says that the people have a right to assemble. But can you give that right to a bunch of people who want to sell drugs and vandalize? That is simple no. But what about the kids that are just trying to hang out with their friends and they can’t because the community thinks that they are going to harm public property. It comes down to one bad apple spoiling the bunch. It’s easy enough to say that teens can gather as long as they are not breaking the law but cops can come and break up a crowd of teens just cause they want to."
Keith Kristinet, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Individual vs. Common Good
"Many of the members of communities are good law abiding citizens, but you have always got the few people that mess things up for everyone else. They do stupid things to cause laws that hurt everyone else, such as curfews and gang laws. This as I said, upsets the good people of the community who have done nothing wrong. They are then obliged to go out to try to defy the new laws of their community and they are often then considered to be the bad kids of the community. Just one person can mess everything up for all of the other good kids of community."
Jason McKinney, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"Greater emphasis needs to be placed on the common good over the needs of the individual. In a hundred years, for example, John Doe will not be here. His life and accomplishments will probably be forgotten. Nevertheless John’s community will still be there for better or for worse, and there will still be the needs of the common good. If there were not public resources such as the library and the park district: I would not be able to access information off of the Internet. Likewise, I would not have the opportunity to participate in sports or check out books. Our communities, are the support systems for our people and the framework for our cities. Their preservation is essential."
Jennifer Zentmyer, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

"Everyone has the right to act as he or she sees fit for themselves—that is our individual freedom as citizens of the United States of America. However, we must be prepared to deal with the results of our actions, whether they are positive or negative, and how they will affect others in our society—that is our personal responsibility to the common good."
Rosemarie S. Breske, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Solutions
"In today’s society the only thing to do is to work with what you have. If there is a change you want to see made then go out and do it. We are this planet for one thing and that is to make it the best place we can."
Keith Kristinet, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Role of Individuals
"Very few people feel they have a say in what is best for the common good. When people have little significance in matters they tend to ignore the situation. We have to realize, the common good is the people, not a few elected officials who make decisions based on their own opinions."
Wendell Martin, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Role of Courts
"If more laws were able to benefit everyone, there would not be so many problems today in our society. Today, if you do something wrong the court system looks in a book to tell you your punishment according to that broken law. If the world today tried to help an individual many problems that occur would not come in effect. Teen pregnancy is an individual problem but when it occurs no one tries to help. Teen mothers receive the link card, and get pregnant again."
Nicole Martin, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Curfew
"I would really like to questions the validity of most curfew laws. One, I wonder how it was determined that a 17 year old is more responsible than a 16 year old to where they are trouble-free exactly sixty minutes later each night. If a couple of teenagers are drinking sodas and sitting on swings at an area park, I really want to know who they are harming. As long as they are not disturbing others and their parents know where they are I do not see a problem. There should be a system where if you have a perfect record and you are not causing a disturbance you can stay out until you choose to retire to your home. If you have caused trouble then these laws can be enacted. Why are we punishing the innocent?"
Neal Brockett, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

We Are Americans
"We are Americans. As Americans the constitution gives us the right to basically do anything we want as long as it is reasonable and responsible. What happens when our personal liberties and freedoms, which are specifically protected by the constitution, are taken away for the common good? Actually, they are not taken away for the common good, but for other reasons. Should the police and courts be the ones balancing our precious freedom?
   When our founding fathers began creating our government everything was new to them. We wanted to prove to Europe that America could work as a democracy. However, our founding fathers had enough sense to know that if everyone could exercise their "inalienable rights" at any given place, at any given moment, it would create chaos. So actually, our founding fathers put greater emphasis on the protection of the community over individual liberty. This idea was passed on through the years and it still exists today. It is right in our constitution; if we want something and a few of you are complaining, too bad, the majority is the common good. Is the common good actually the majority? What it all comes down to is the question of who is going to pick up the tab. If teenage pregnancy did not effect the economy, the government would not be involved. If the victims in motorcycle accidents not wearing helmets or victims in car accidents not wearing seat belts did not effect the economy, the government would not be involved. In fact, as long as what you do does not effect, or have the potential to effect the economy, changes are it is perfectly legal. Our politicians have let the load off our parents shoulders in advising us about any financially risky actions. Now our parents only need to teach us morals. So in essence, the people teaching us morals are the ones who actually care about us. So if you connect these logical statements it equals the government does not care, except for money. This leaves us to the fact that our personal responsibility starts in the home. Some people do not have homes, some people have homes but no responsible adults, and some people are just stupid and feel as if society owes them something. This is exactly why our government makes these individual freedom infringing rights. If one person cannot be reasonable, all the people involved are punished. It is just like when your teacher told you that if you don’t have enough for everybody, do not bring any at all. Of course, it is obvious that the government must make some laws that strip people of their rights at certain times. Who is to say what is necessary and proper?
   Balancing individual rights and the welfare of the community should be left to the police and courts. Supposing it was not left to the police and courts, who else could responsibly decide what is right or wrong? Unfortunately, in our justice system there are major flaws, in fact, sometimes the individuals rights are not taken away when they should be. For example, evidence is disregarded because it was stolen, even though it could convict a criminal. Another disadvantage of leaving it all up to the police and courts is that if the case in point goes against anything having to do with the government you will lose. Fortunately though, our police system and court system are fun mainly by high moral people, or at least we hope so.
   The truth is by living in our society, we, as Americans, must give up some freedoms. Any competent husband or wife knows that their marriage works because there is a constant condition of compromise. If we are all going to live together, we are going to have to compromise some of our rights. Our role is to make sure we can all be responsible enough to make our society work and not let it fall to complete chaos."
Erik Gutierrez, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois                                                     

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