Teacher: Jane Susan J. Long
1993-1994 Harry Singer Foundation National Essay Contest
Responsibility, Who Has It and Who Doesn't and What
That Means For The Nation
Teacher: Jane Susan J. Long
Niantic High School, Niantic, Illinois
1st Michael J. Pyle 2nd Tom Moore 
3rd Alicia Dothager
In the excerpt that follows Quentin presents a
farfetched lawsuit turning on cause and effect:
"The acquittal of Lorena Bobbitt...is a major victory for
the attitude that everyone has an excuse. During the L.A. riots...if someone saw
something they wanted they just took it. This action has been justified through
the excuse that these people have been oppressed for so long that something was
bound to happen."
Tom Moore, Niantic-Harristown High School, Niantic, Illinois
"A boy recently sued a candy company that has a foil wrapper on its candy
because they failed to state "remove foil before eating," After eating
several of these candies, the boy suffered an intestinal blockage and had to be
taken to the hospital. All you have to do is use common sense and you should
know to unwrap candy first. This is very irresponsible on the part of the
parents for letting the boy eat them with the wrapper on and I personally would
feel pretty stupid suing someone because I ate candy with the wrapper on."
Brian Woodward, Niantic-Harristown High School, Niantic, Illinois
"What could be more pleasing than a society where nothing is wrong? That is
the society we are developing. What was once considered wrong, now can be
considered a mental problem or something you can not help because your parents
weren't there for you. It is a pleasing idea, and that is why America is
adopting it so rapidly. For a society not to blame individuals personally, it
must accept everyone's personal definition of morals. If everyone has their own
definition, then there are no morals, and if there are no morals then people can
not live in peace."
Tom Moore, Niantic High School, Niantic, Illinois
If I could sum up my solution to this country's responsibility
problem in one word, that word would be education."
Michael J. Pyle, Niantic High School, Niantic, Illinois