"Okay, I think I've got it. Responsibility: an extremely rare value found only in exceptional regions of American society - often emphasized, yet seldom exercised.

To me, this definition seems to fit perfectly, perhaps even exceeding the words of Webster. It is a portrait of responsibility as seen not only by my own generation, but my parents, leaders, the rich, the poor, the young, and the old. But why has it become so easy to detect this tremendous lack of such a valuable feature of our culture? I mean, irresponsibility has not only become some kind of temporary fad - it has taken hold of our entire nation. For instance, two young men lay in the center of a busy highway while intoxicated to imitate a stunt that took place in a PG-13 movie. When one of the boys was hit and seriously injured, his parents sued the producers of the movie for 'giving him such a crazy idea',. . .so I suppose what this means is that we either need to eliminate all dangerous stunts from movies or be sure that the muscle-bound, courageous hero takes a moment to tell viewers 'Don't try this at home!' Or, wait, I have an even better idea. How about if America grows-up just a wee bit and takes on a little responsibility for a change?

Speaking of accepting responsibility, it has always puzzled me that those who are elected to represent our nation seem to be the ones who possess the [least] responsibility. . . .Take, for example, the recent government shutdown, which has put thousands of Americans out of work. While many spent their holiday worrying about bills and unemployment, Democrats contemplated how to place blame on Republicans and Republicans plotted a way to dump all responsibility on Democrats. Amidst thousands of hours of meetings, nobody was ever willing to just step in, take responsibility, and work the whole thing out. I think former president George Bush best explained this situation when he stated, 'Leaders are chosen to serve; there is always trouble when the leader forgets this and his responsibility to the nation.' If our leaders can't [accept responsibility] how can we expect [ordinary citizens to do so]? How can people learn from their mistakes when they're so busy denying them?

Just recently, as I was listening to the radio on my way to school, I became very upset, almost in tears, as I heard a story of a young man, Alex, who earned $80 shoveling walks throughout the day, only to be mugged and kicked in the head by a group of older boys on his way home. The next day, the community raised $300 for Alex, but was astonished to learn that he had made-up the whole story in order to avoid getting in trouble for fighting. My heart suddenly sank deep into my chest when I heard this, and my sadness turned to frustration. 'What is wrong with America' the DJ asked. This time I knew the answer. I finally realized how huge of an impact responsibility has on our society.

But yet, every time I begin to think the whole world is stuck on self-destruct mode, a tiny flash of responsibility enters the battle with indestructible force and suddenly makes everything okay again. In my small rural community, this force is comprised of volunteers. From the fire department and ambulance to small family businesses, people are constantly willing to give all they can for the good of society. An extremely popular event among Quad-Citians is the annual 'Race for the Cure' and 'Runway for the Cure', both of which are fund raisers that donate all profits toward various hospitals and research laboratories in hopes of winning the battle against breast cancer. Each year thousands of women show up to hurry down either a paved street or decorated runway, jogging or modeling fashions for one common cause, and taking responsibility for an epidemic that may never affect them.

Many avoid involvement in problems that do not affect them personally, and assume they are doing their part by reclining in a La-Z-Boy and just 'staying out of the way'. This was not the casse in neighboring Illinois City. . . .A teenage boy had disappeared along a country road, with nothing but puzzling footprints surrounding his wrecked car as a guide to his whereabouts. A concerned mother and father contacted the police, and with the arrival of two trained detectives came over 100 local volunteers, ranging in age from ten to early seventies. . . .In a city like Chicago, this may have been a disappointing turnout, but in a town with a population of 211, this was not only surprising, it was an emblem of unity. . .[here were]. . .people not afraid to take responsibility.

"There was a five-year-old boy whose sister would die without a blood transfusion. The doctor asked the boy if he would donate his blood, and with little hesitation, the boy agreed. During the transfusion process, the little boy smiled at seeing the color return to his sister's face. Then he solemnly asked, 'Will I die right away?' The little boy had misunderstood and thought he was donating all of his blood to his sister.

"People coming together for a good cause is also happening in my community.

"Also, there are local and national organizations that encourage participation in children's lives. Jose Lage and Larry Eckhart cofounded 'Absent Parents Are People Too' (APART), a group that supports parents that do not have custody of their children. They share ways to contribute to their kid's lives and deal with the various court issues.

"At 6:00 every night, the news flashes onto the television screen, pouring out stories of problems that have arisen in our nation, our communities, and our homes. Burglaries, murders, and [destruction] are common events on the nightly news. The oppression of all this bad news seems too great for most people."
Sarah Winter, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois