First Round Excerpts From 1998-99 Essay
Contest
The Role Of Personal Responsibility In
Balancing
Individual Liberty And The Common Good
1st
Patrick Karsher
2nd
Rocky Millenbine 
3rd
Jessica Metcalf"I believe our founding fathers understood that there wouldn’t be any
communities if there were not any individuals happy enough in an area to start
up a community. I believe they wanted to put individual rights over that of the
masses. It seems that every time we try do something about the problems that we
as a nation encounter we seem to be breaking someone’s rights. This is much
like the cases in many cities. Some cities have enacted ordinances prohibiting
gang activity on the streets. Even this attempt to try to help our gang problem
is being fought by groups saying it is not legal because it goes against
theright to assemble. I do not see why these people will not give a little to
help our gang problem. We as a nation have become so selfish. 'We have it very
easy compared to some people, yet we are to stubborn to see it. I believe we
need to open our eyes before it is to late.' We must guard our rights because
that is the only thing that separates the American way from the way of other
nations where the individuals are not free to make their own decisions. We can
protect these rights by using our right to vote for the representatives that
best protect our rights. We should also take an interest in our own communities
and the way they are run. With this use of the community watching over the
people, making sure that no one over steps the rights which we were given, and
also making sure we don’t over step our laws, we will be able to be sure that
the common good of not only the individual but of the community is being
accomplished."
Rocky Millenbine, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Yes, they did make the Bill of Rights, and I believe that was to better
the community. Before it could better the community, I think they asked
themselves How can it be better for us?. Everybody is more worried about himself
or herself than they are about the people around them. All they care about is
protecting themselves and their family. If they are doing fine then so is
everybody else. That is not always so. The founding fathers were narrow-minded
and because of that, it has caused problems in the long run."
Misti Collins, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Times have changed since they walked the earth, but the ideals of the
American people haven’t changed all that much."
Emily A. Rapp, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"When our forefathers lived, the need to succeed and live was too great
to think about whether individual rights were being promoted. The community was
the issue when they wrote the Constitution. They did not foresee a day when our
great nation would lead the world into the Twenty-first century. Nor did they
foresee that there would one day be a society that revolved around the
individual instead of the community. The last twenty years have become a time of
selfishness only thinking about how everyone else affects us instead of how we
affect other people. They never expected a day when the Gun-Free School Zones
Act would be declared unconstitutional under the principles they wrote.
If Thomas Jefferson had foreseen the day when children would carry
guns to school and that students would be gunned down in a classroom, he would
be in shock. I also believe that he would have permitted the Gun-Free School
Zones Act under the ideals he helped create. The Supreme court should not act as
if it is from the time of the Revolution and has been abruptly dropped into the
1990s. the Constitution should be interpreted broadly. We need to realize that
an act that would help prevent our children from being killed cannot be totally
against the concepts that the Constitution was founded on."
Emily A. Rapp, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Our founding fathers were more worried about themselves. They wanted to
get away from England’s law. The didn’t care about the welfare of the
community. They wanted individual freedoms. The first amendment to the
constitution deals with individuals not the community or nation as a
whole."
Janet Lea Holmes, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Many people think that the founding fathers were more concerned with
the welfare of the community. They believed in the concept of united we
stand, alone we fall. They thought they had to protect their community to
keep the government as a whole.... they never thought that the rights of the
individual would be such a big issue. They were only concerned with the welfare
of the community and the nation."
Chris Hopfinger, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"I believe that if everyone took part in making the decisions, more
people would abide by the laws. Nothing can be done if the community doesn’t
want to participate. If we sit back and let everyone else control the laws, we
will have wished we had spoke up. No one really things about it until something
hasn’t gone our way. This is why the community is said to have an important
role in the rights and protection of others. The citizens must work together to
help enforce the laws which they have helped make. We can make a difference.
However, we must voice our opinion. This could mean a major change for the
public. It could mean a major improvement for the future generations. Do you
want your children raised in this type of environment? You be the judge of what
is best for your and those around you."
Jessica Metcaf, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"I think that I would rather give up some of my individual liberty
so that I could be protected and have the feeling of security."
Andrea Dyan Reyling, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Many teenagers as well as adults believe that liberty is the freedom to
do what they want when they want. Therefore, I guess you could call it
controlled liberty because it doesn’t quite work like that. Yes, we are free.
However, this is to an extent. We are free in that we get to make our own
decision and choices. Even though we are free, we still have to pay taxes and
obey the law."
Dennis Crain, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Government does need to step u and not only recognize, but take
action to better protect the community. The police and the courts play a major
role but I feel it is also the responsibility of every individual. Some may need
to reevaluate their own lives and realize the kind of example they are setting
for others. Everyone must take part in the efforts for better communities in our
country. We must set guidelines for our children. Personal freedom should be
protected to an extent, but no when that freedom demoralizes and harms society.
If individuals actions or beliefs do more harm that good, what is the purpose of
engaging in them?"
Jessica Woob, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Balancing individual liberty and the common good is a burden that every
citizen should carry with pride and dignity. It is not only a responsibility to
do what is best for yourself and others, but a duty to be a watch dog of right
and wrong. It becomes your birthright soon after you are able to think for
yourself, and is a privilege. It is an ability that if used right makes you not
only a citizen of the government, but an official of the government as well.
Knowing that is not only one of the most powerful things in the world, but also
one of the greatest."
Jonathan Field, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Adult responsibility and self discipline is the main cure, but until
this is taken seriously and the people figure out that they are the ones that
need to take action, the police and courts will have to stand in. Schoenbrum put
it nicely when she wrote, "When our fore fathers wrote the Constitution,
they stated that the actions of one person or group would be able to affect the
public so widely. It’s possible they would have adjusted this balance between
individualism and liberty and the welfare of the public and put greater emphasis
on the protection of the community. The people of the community can also help by
keeping a closer look on what their kids are doing before and after they go to
school. They can set up some more activities for the kids so that hey do not
want to do drugs or join gangs that may give them access to guns."
Sarah Renee Friederich, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Personal responsibility plays an important role in individual liberty.
What is individual liberty? Individual liberty is basically the freedom of a
single person. To any human being this is important. We are lucky enough to have
this privilege in the United States. Many other countries don’t."
Amanda Prater, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Nothing will improve if people stay silent. People nee to push for
stronger gun control laws and stiffer punishments for minors who commit major
crimes. Saying and standing u for what you believe in is not a crime and no one
will look at you differently for trying to make a pleasant change for the
American people.
Many people live in fear. I want to live in a community that when
you meet a person on the street you smile and comment on the weather, rather
than clutch your purse and squeeze tightly on the trigger on your mace key
chain. We have made our world what it is and it will take all of us to change
it."
Sarah Marie McCormick, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"A balkanized polity will surely demand the perverse equality of
irresponsibility: that is the lesson of the explosion of the syndrome defenses:
(Estrick 8). This is a very powerful and correct, a disorganized government will
bring about a corrupt and immoral society. If we close our eyes to the problems
facing us, they will only become worse. For example: If we pardon murderers on
the plea of their mental state, every criminal would claim they are insane and
the killing would continue because it would be acceptable because they are
insane. People would come to defend their actions, simply on their mental state,
and that is not allowable. Everyone must take responsibility for his or her
actions."
Jessica Woob, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Politicians have begun to use "nanny government" to force
people to act in ways deemed socially responsible. Many of these "nanny
government" issues include gun ownership, smoking, and property
development. Many believe because individuals must be responsible enough to make
their own decisions regarding many of these issues and they should not be made
illegal. These "consensual crimes" have put an estimated "750,000
persons behind bars in America for doing things that by any rational measure
should not be crimes . . . and cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars."
Laban Cross, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"I don’t think by raising the prices or age of kids to stop doing
things that grown-ups think is wrong is going to help. Were going to have to go
deeper than that. If they want it bad enough they will get it, no matter what
the cost of it is, or their age. They will find somebody old enough to get it
for them. They may be young, but they’re not stupid."
Misti R. Collins, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"America gets caught up in the idea that the government is trying to
limit the citizens in every way possible. I feel that sometimes citizens try to
fight the government so much, that they fight against causes that can slowly
better the country. If Americans were to allow the officials to handle personal
affairs, then the fear of being completely controlled by the government would
become more of a reality. The police and courts may try and act in the
citizens’ best interests, but how will they know those interests if the
citizens never get involved?
I firmly believe in the saying that there are no small roles in
life, just small actors. This nation did not just instantly appear. Much toil
and bloodshed has been given to make the United States what it is today. The
responsibility of balancing individual rights and the common good is a
partnership that includes a governmental and personal role. The people who say
that there is nothing that they can do for the common good of their country, are
usually contradicted by the people already accomplishing something. It is not
about the lack of knowledge or the lack of strength, but the personal lack of
will that holds Americans back."
Ava Lauren Hood, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"When a law is put into effect, the government should look at how many
people the law would benefit rather than hurt. The community needs to be the one
who always comes out ahead. The police and courts are becoming something that no
one is afraid of anymore. They need to be the ones that punish people and
influence them to straighten up. Our nation is becoming so involved in political
nonsense that they can’t even take time to punish someone who pulls a gun on
innocent school children.
As a free society we tend to be more critical of everything that happens in our
government. I feel it is wise to look at everything in a detailed manner, but
some people are making it so our criminals don’t spend very much time in jail.
Every time there is an ordinance or regulation that is enacted to protect the
community there is always someone who has to fight it because it does not
revolve around the vision our forefathers had for us. Cities have enacted
ordinances prohibiting gangs from roaming the streets, but the American Civil
Liberties Union fights the legality of this type of regulation. Children are not
afraid to take guns to school, go to jail or smoke pot. We need to make it
harder on the criminals so that no one will want to be a criminal.
The Congress proposed the Gun-Free School Zones Act. This act made
it illegal to carry a gun within one thousand feet of a school . Congress tried
to fix the problem but the Supreme court ruled the law unconstitutional. Imagine
how the parents of children who have bee killed in a school shooting feel about
this ruling! America formed a government that is ruled by the people so that
Americans would have a right to govern themselves. We have become so expressive
that we try to change everything around. We need to make rules and follow them.
The people of the community need to be protected from criminals that try to get
out of the court system."
Erin Simmons, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"I believe that the government should have to regulate advertising for the common good of our nation. The media and advertisers of this day and age have taken control on a vast portion of our lives. 'Do this' or 'Buy that' they say, but it isn’t only that, it’s how they say it. Television, magazines, billboards all have a tremendous effect on our lives, especially the youth. They are subjected to an enormous amount of sex, alcohol, tobacco and other garbage everyday. I think the government should place several restrictions on advertisers and the media.
I also believe that the government should have the authority to censor
pornography. It fits right in there with advertising, too. Advertisers use sex
and similar issues in man of their commercials. In the past few years, I have
seen pornography impact my community. Children know so much more now that I ever
did at their age."
Amanda Woodrow, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"The government can not make sure that every person in the country is
well taken cared of and all of the troubles are gone."
Nathan Hart, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Most people in the world today focus on their own individual
liberty rather than their service to the community. The service that regular
citizen may do consists of calling their alderman or mayor about a problem on
their street or block. If you would think about I only a handful of people
directly serve their community daily. These people consist of policemen,
aldermen, mayor, and the cost system.
Many people argue that there are not enough jobs available to serve
their community. This is true. However, this does not mean that an individual
can’t go out and help the City Beautification Task Force do clean-up or other
activities that improve the community. It is hard to maintain individual liberty
and not become too selfish. A way to solve this would be by giving your service
to the community. There are other ways besides doing physical work to serve the
community. You can organize anti-drug campaigns. There are also ideas such as
pro-reading campaigns, and neighborhood watch systems. Everyone needs to do at
least one deed or service a week. If this is done not only will you be serving
the community, but you will be showing that you respect it as well."
Dennis Crain, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Every community has different problems, so why should they all have the
same rules and regulations? If individuals all want the best out of life, then
they should work together."
Summer Bridwell, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"I think that everyone should take an active part in the balance of
individual liberty and the common good. We have a select few making our rules
and laws and we don’t have enough general input. Those who take no part and
think the law unfair will ultimately end up breaking it, and what good does that
do anyone? Everyone has an opinion, and most like expressing it to others. Now
they just need that chance. Everyone has a personal responsibility to balance
individual liberty and the common good. We should all be thankful that we have
so many rights, but we should also think about what is good for our community as
a whole as we engage in those individual liberties."
Lynndi A. Tennyson, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"The first mistake appears to have been made whenever the founding
fathers of the United States apparently 'put greater emphasis on the protection
of the community over individual liberty'. Since this time the individual has
viewed the community as their rival. This may have caused many people to refuse
to cooperate as easily because they were afraid that their rights may have been
taken away in favor of the community’s, and this is where we stand today. The
individual must learn to trust the community and vice verse in order for any
progress to be made. It is the community’s responsibility to make sure that
individuals have the opportunity to assume responsibility."
Laban Cross, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"It is only for us to decide whether our own liberty is more important
than the good of others."
Emily A. Rapp, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"I feel that I have rights and I feel that they are not too restricted,
but I know that I can not just go out and do anything I feel like doing. People
have to learn to respect each other and find a sense of responsibility to
themselves and to their community."
Lesley Warren, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Giving the power to balance individual rights and the welfare of the
community to the police and courts would omit two of the three government
bodies, the legislative and executive. The judicial branch would have almost
complete control. The issue of individual rights versus the welfare of the
community is very complicated. Therefore all three branches are needed, as the
constitution has intended."
Ginger Launius, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"If we continue to give individuals so much personal liberty, they
will begin to take advantage of it and forget about the common good. They will
do only what they want, not what is best for everyone as a whole."
Lynndi A. Tennyson, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"If you think about it, the community is made up of individuals and each
individual has his or her own rights. So, in essence the government is
protecting individual rights as well as the whole community."
Amanda Woodrow, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Individual rights often conflict with one another. People have
different feelings on topics such as pornography, gun control and juvenile
crime. With protection of the community, future conflicts may be
eliminated."
Julie Howe, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Children should think of school as a safe place to learn, not
somewhere where they must watch their every move in order not to get shot.
Children bring guns for protection, when they should feel safety and
warmth."
Lynndi A. Tennyson, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"There have been many school shootings around the country causing many
children to die. What is so sad about this is that school is supposed to be safe
place for students to go and learn, but it has quickly changed into where you go
to school and worry whether or not your life is going to be taken that
day."
Lesley Warren, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Declaring this law unconstitutional is just an invitation for children
to bring guns to school."
Jimmy Bowling, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"It is our responsibility to voice our opinions, and I strongly disagree
with the Supreme Court’s ruling against the Gun-Free School Zone Act. There is
absolutely no need to have a gun within 1000 feet of a school building, and the
Supreme court should have recognized the gun-Free School Zone Act as a positive
movement toward protecting us youth. This is yet another example of how much
things have changed since the founding fathers wrote the Constitution. They
couldn’t have known that there would be a need to protect our children from
shootings at school, but there should be a way for our current government to
accomplish this."
Kelli Belangee, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"School is a learning environment not a war zone."
Nathan Hart, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"I believe laws are made to protect the majority for the common good. If
there is a problem with a law we can always make an amendment and have it
changed. The judicial system is not perfect, but no system is. The Supreme Court
needs to put our children’s safety above individual’s rights. Only if our
children live can they be our hope for a better tomorrow."
Janet Lea Holmes, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Guns are not essential to life and certainly not essential to achieving
the common good."
Amanda Prater, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Handguns are no longer something that one in every thirty men has. All
it takes to possess a gun is money and it is your immediately. People are killed
with these handguns every day and many innocent people are killed constantly for
no reason at all, than just being in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Sarah Marie McCormick, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"Where are kids coming up with the things they do today? Who do we
blame? Are we blaming everybody but the right people? Who are the right people?
Where do they learn this? I’m guessing that I’m not the only one trying to
figure that out. I understand that the government may think that the states
should take this into their own hands because if the government takes control
there could be even bigger problems that what they started out with. More than
likely those problems would take longer to solve than the one they were trying
to solve in the first place. Today's Court evidently wants to return to the
letter of the law at the time of the framing of the Constitution. It is
understandable that they want to follow the rules and try to keep it like it has
always been. Times are changing; therefore the letter of law should too. The law
must change because people change. We are not the same people as they were when
they were framing the Constitution. We must change with time to keep our people
safe.
Trying to keep our world from falling apart is a chore. It takes
time and lots of dedication by many people. In the beginning we thought that our
individual liberty was more important, and some still do today. Others realize
that our community is just as important and we need to help our community as
much as we’d like to help ourselves."
Misti R. Collins, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"I believe that sterner punishments for perpetrators of crime is
also necessary. What is two weeks suspension? Simply more time to go out and
play, a break from school. I think that the government should take control of
the punishment when a juvenile brings a gun to school. The school should
automatically turn the child over to authorities. This may sound kind of harsh,
however if the fear of God in placed in this individual, he or she might be less
likely to try it again. A slap on the wrist might mean death for one of his
friends or teachers."
Melissa Nelson, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"It is really sad that teen homicide is almost the leading cause of
deaths among teens. That is really frightening. I hope that things can change
for the better in the future. I want things to be better for my children. I know
it is probably impossible for things to change, but hopefully our nation’s
officials can make the best decision for our county and offer us
protection."
Lesley Warren, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"It is scary to think that a facility where education is taught to 8
through 18 year olds is being over taken by a trend that is killing students.
All of this started last year with Heath High School in Paducah, Kentucky. A
young man there opened fire on a group of students at their morning prayer
circle. There were people killed and many were injured also. Following this
incident, several other children got it through their head that it was alright
to hurt and kill people with a gun, by bringing it to school. I know from my own
experience that after these killings had arisen, I was leery of returning to
school after the weekend.
Now because of these shootings, schoolshave taken many
precautionary actions. Most schools are not permitted to have prayer circle now
and the dress code ahs completely changed in many ways. Children are no longer
aloud to wear over sized clothing or even at some places, back packs. People
have started to watch their backs and not cross the line between them and
another, due to the fact that they might be threatened by a gun, or possibly
shot."
Sarah Marie McCormick, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"I think that editing genes into the womb is absolutely ridiculous.
When you give birth to your child, it won’t even be the one you were really
going to give birth to. It will be a new and revised version. It’s like making
a baby out of clay. Editing genes into the womb will be like another abortion
controversy. Half the population will be for it, because they would be the ones
who pay hundreds of dollars. They would have certain genes put into their
children to make them perfect. The other half would be against it, because of
religions or beliefs. To be safe from a lot of publication, editing genes into
the womb should never be started."
Jennifer Camden, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
"When the founding fathers framed the government of the United
States, they did so with the common good of the community I mind. The Bill of
Rights was added only after the public demanded that they have personal rights.
They lived in a time when communities were small, North America was largely
underdeveloped and there was plenty of room for everyone. Individual rights held
lesser importance because anyone who wanted personal freedom could simply move
beyond the frontier, away from civilization and do as they pleased.
Today, the population of the United States is denser. It is
impossible to escape coming in contact with large numbers of people. Now, the
actions of the community affect the lives of every individual. To keep from
infringing on the rights of the individual, elected officials in congress must
keep a balance between personal liberty and the common good. The safeguard of
the courts and police are not enough to ensure that the common good is looked
after while individual liberties are preserved. It is the job of the police to
enforce laws and the job of courts to rule according to laws, even when they
seem unfair. Lawmakers must look at both the community and the individual when
writing laws.
In the case of Gun-Free School Zones, the courts chose to side with
individual liberty and the right of commerce. The law stated that guns would not
be allowed within one thousand feet of schools. The court declared the law
unconstitutional because the law would interfere with commerce. In an effort to
preserve a small individual right, the courts undermined the common good. The
law could have save lives and made schools a safer place, but instead gun
dealers will make more money and citizens will be free to have guns wherever
they please.
In many cases, personal responsibility would replace the need for
laws. Smokers being considerate of other people could find private place to
smoke and eliminate the need for laws concerning smoking public. Responsible
parents could protect children from pornography. The major argument against
gambling is that when a person loses large amounts of money, it hurts his
family. But gambling can be a harmless way to have fun when responsible people
participate and lose only what they can afford. Many large industrial companies
make thousands of dollars, but do so by polluting the air by burning coal and by
polluting the water by dumping wastes in rivers and lakes. The technology to
reduce air pollution now exists, and there are safe ways to dispose of solid
industrial waste. If these companies were responsible, laws mandating smog
levels and toxic emissions could be eliminated. Being considerate of other
people’s rights can solve the problems concerning individual liberty.
Laws requiring seatbelts and helmets are unnecessary. Laws against
victimless crimes are a nuisance to citizens. These laws violate personal
liberty. Laws are only necessary when the action harms another person. Adults do
not feel that they need to be protected from themselves.
Some actions of the government violate the common good. Failure to
regulate genetic engineering is one example. Companies such as Monsanto have
been changing the genes of the foods. Failure to regulate these changes in genes
could have serious consequences. If alteration makes crops weak against certain
diseases or makes certain weeds resistant to herbicides, the national food
supply could be wiped out in a short period of time.
One can see the ill effects of taking either the common good or
personal liberty to an extreme. Communism is a government based on the idea that
the common good is mot important and people’s individual rights are
sacrificed. People with little or no freedom are rarely happy. To have only
individual rights and no concern for the common good is anarchy. People need
some laws to govern them and keep order. Some balance must remain between the
two for this country to have an effective and fair government.
Balancing the rights of its citizens is the job of the government,
but electing its government is the duty of every citizen. It is up to each
citizen to be responsible and elect competent officials. It is also the job of
the citizens to stand up for their individual rights while respecting the rights
of others and looking out for the common good. Only through the personal
responsibility of each citizen can this country be strong."
Patrick Karcher, McLeansboro High School, McLeansboro, Illinois
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