Guns
"Government is trying to restrict the individual’s right to bear arms. It believes that by limiting this right it will make communities safer for those who could fall victim of murderous crimes. This attempted restriction has repeatedly been struck down by the cries of the individuals who see this limitation as unconstitutional. It is definitely an infringement on the liberties of the individual as set up by the Bill of Rights. Besides, how is restricting the law-abiding citizen going to change much or anything at all? Criminals do not simply walk into a gun shop and purchase a gun. They have the "black market" just for that purpose. Most criminals are not the type to put themselves at risk by abiding by the law in such a way. Again, even if the government restricts those who walk the straight and narrow who are in the market for a gun, there is no background check that can be done to insure that the child of the purchaser will not take the fun from a "hiding place" and play a short game of "shoot ‘em up" at the local school. Laws concerning the presence of guns on school grounds have not had much success. I do not believe that guns have any place on a school campus which explains my semi-support because I do not believe that those who have a license to own a gun should be restricted from that right, but I do believe that the gun should not be brought into the school. I also have the opinion that if a person is determined to do harm to those in a school that he will succeed no matter what the cost or what the law says. My belief is that there is simply no way to guard against violence. If it is going to happen, there is no one that can stand in the way. There will always be those who know how to get around the law."
Kelli Null, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"The Supreme Court’s ruling against the Gun-Free School Zones Act is an example of too much protection of our individual rights. The Supreme Court’s decision in the ruling against the Gun-Free School Zones Act was, in my opinion, correct. Congress should have the power to control guns. Guns are a major problem in our society, and just because this particular problem with guns does not directly relate to commerce should not mean that congress cannot control it. The majority held that regulating guns at school "could lead to a national police state." If having a national police state." If having a national police state is what it takes to protect students at school, then let us have one. This would not be treading on our "right to bear arms"; this would be protecting our student’s right to a safe learning environment. This is what the framers of the Constitution had in mind when they gave us the Second Amendment, that students should not have to worry about feeling safe at school. There is a need for Gun-Free School Zones, and if Congress cannot d it for the nation, every sate should take action. In this matter, I believe individual rights should not trample the safety of students."
Jennifer Julian, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"With the decline of shootings and crime in the vicinity of the schools, the promotion of crime among students will decrease."
Dawn Armstrong, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"Another strong issue today is gun control- specifically in our middle and high schools. I am sure no one would have a problem admitting school fatalities related to guns is on the rise today. So why did the Supreme Court rule it unconstitutional? Basically because it is unconstitutional. If our society was still the same as it was when the Constitution was written, this law would not be needed. Yet today, because of the reality of violent America, I must disagree with the ruling against this law. Wake up, America! We obviously need help-some intervention- when our founding fathers constructed the Constitution, the "right to bear arms" was not intended to give some emotionally distraught child the right to open fire in the school yard and blow everyone away."
Jackie Ward, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"When individuals believe their right to bear arms should come before a child’s safety, things are not right."
Kelly Lynn Kirkpatrick, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

Genes
"Still another issue concerning America today is the gene argument. The idea that altering the making of a child to produce a crime-free environment is absurd. Who gave us the right to play the role of God? Certainly not the Constitution. Its constructors were moral religious people and based our country upon moral religious beliefs. Sure, we have an immensely increasing growth of crime rate in America, but regulating genes is not the answer. To me, that is the easy way out. If we want to change the crime rate in our country, we can find a better solution than that. From a religious standpoint, altering genes it the next step in dehumanizing our nation."
Jackie Ward, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

Gangs
"The protection of persons living in communities where gangs are active is the government’s primary concern, but do gangs really abide by the law anyway? The protection of communities is not guaranteed by simply outlawing the gathering of gang members, who why make one more law that infringes on the personal rights of human beings? Instead, the government should be making sure that those who commit crimes stay in prison so that they are unable to participate in gang activity again. Even still, no matter what the government tries to enforce there will always be those who find a way to get around the law."
Kelli Null, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

Role of Government
"Another law taking away a personal right is the mandatory seatbelt law. I believe that an individual has the right to choose what he wants for himself. Whether it be a long life due to the protection of wearing a seatbelt or a short one due to flying out the windshield of a car during a wreck, the individual needs to make this choice for himself. He does not need the government to mother him. However, seatbelt laws that require children to wear seatbelts should be enforced. This sounds very contradictory, but let us look at this logically. An adult has the ability to reason and know what is best for his well-being, but a child is less capable of making choices concerning his life. It is not a child’s fault if he is born to irresponsible, uncaring adults, therefore the government should try to protect children. Otherwise, choices should be left up to adults who are capable of reasonable thought."
Kelli Null, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"If a person opts not to wear a seatbelt while they drive they are exercising a personal right, but if they get into an accident and are hurt they expect to receive financial help to pay medical bills. Is it the place of the government to pay this? Or is it the place of the government to create a law saying that the person must wear a seatbelt to keep them safe, even if it invades the person’s individual freedom? These are the type of questions the government must consider. The choice however is handed to the people when they elect the officials of the nation. Therefore, indirectly, the future of the nation depends completely on the choices the people make. This is the way that are founding fathers intended the nation to be. The choices of individual freedoms depend on the actions of society."
Elizabeth Osborne, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"If individual profit is all some people concern themselves with, then it is good we have a government that care enough about the community to restrict its citizens."
Robin Ebert, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"Many issues come to mind when discussing the role of government and where the line should be drawn. The list grows each day- from child safety belt laws to taxes on tobacco. Society as a whole needs some help. Americans are so far-fetched and selfish today that government intervention is necessary to continue this free country-even though that is not how it should be."
Jackie Ward, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

Balance
"The balance between community protection and individual liberty is something that will take much time and concentration. I believe that the founding fathers would have stressed the importance of personal rights, but I also believe that this group of magnificent men would be able to find an almost perfect balance between the two issues at hand. Perhaps, Marty Reilly of Fresno was right when he stated that "if we as a country start moving toward less regulation and more free market in an orderly fashion, then the public will have time to adjust." Maybe that is how the government should be looking at the issue at hand. I believe that a gradual chance would definitely help the courts and police perform their jobs to their fullest potential, and then perhaps the nation will achieve equilibrium."
Kelli Null, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"Today’s society is extremely different from our founding father’s society, so the issue of balancing personal liberty and the common good is in question. As long as courts and police keep society in order and safe, without over-regulating the individual, then the delicate balance can stay intact."
Page Thead, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"Citizens must be ever vigilant and serve as watchdogs to insure that a proper balance between individual liberties and community welfare exists. Our society has become one where it is easier to look the other way than to face a problem head on. The excuses that criminals are using in court and getting away with are terrifying. I support the statement that Susan Estrich, the author of Getting Away with Murder: How Politics is Destroying the Criminal Justice System made, "If criminals are not held to a common consensually agreed-upon standard . . . our system dissolves into a plethora of conflicting points of view." If we begin making exceptions and bending the law for the sake of individual freedoms, we lose sight of the welfare of the community."
Jennifer Julian, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"One of the government’s main purposes is to protect its citizens. It is able to do this by enforcing gun control, restrictions on advertising, censorship of pornography, and other laws. However, the entire problem should not be left up to the government, Americans also have a responsibility to make sure rights and privileges are not abused. The role of personal responsibility in balancing individual liberty and the common good belongs to both the government and the people."
Robin Ebert, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"I feel that the delicate balance of personal freedom and common good of the community depends heavily upon the people’s comprehension and implication of individual responsibility."
Amanda Snyder, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"In an ideal situation, people would have their own morals and be worried about the good of the community as a whole, but reality is that people are, on the whole, out for themselves and themselves only. This forces the police and courts to take a more prominent role. Hence, this "delicate balance that is the responsibility of our police, and ultimately our courts" should not even exist."
Jackie Ward, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"The thought of the government controlling every aspect of a person’s life is scary. Thinking of life with no laws is even more frightening. How can a balance between individual liberty and government control for the common good be reached?"
Kelly Lynn Kirkpatrick, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

Founding Fathers
"The Constitution that our ancestors created poses a hard block for the safety of the people because of its vague meanings and complicated statements. Our founding fathers were much different from today’s society simply because they did not have to attempt to "legislate morality." To them there was no need to worry about an invention called a television to corrupt their children, a child bringing a gun to school, or the other problems our world is faced with today. Their need was for freedom from a country that they believed was too restricting. The founders of our nation did not want the same personal rights our society wants today. Now the intervention of law is needed to keep people in line. Our ancestors could not have known that one day the courts and police would need to ""proscribe personal freedom."" Today the obvious answer is "adult responsibility and self discipline." The position of the law and its protectors does not amount to anything if the people of the country are not willing to accept the law for what it represents.
Our forefathers stressed the community being safe while still accepting the individual rights of the citizens. They saw the country as a whole made up of individual people. The laws were set forth to help create a great nation while trying to help the individual be happy. Today the people of our country want the law to revolve around the individual. People today fight for what they believe is true, not what will help better our nation. The problem facing our leaders is how to keep the nation’s people safe while still giving them the personal freedom that the writers of our Constitution promised them.
Though the county is no longer the same as it was at the time of its creation, our ancestors created a government that can change with the people. The founding fathers did not know "how complex and interdependent our civilization would become, and how the actions of one person or group would be able to affect the public so widely." But with the Constitution they created there are ways to help adapt it to the current society. The common good of man is placed in the hands of the people. By the leaders elected and the actions on personal rights, the people of the country are in fact the choosers of their own fate."
Elizabeth Osborne, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"The framers of the Constitution did not originally provide for a Bill of Rights. The opposition to ratification of the Constitution was primarily based on the absence of a Bill of Rights. In 1791 the first ten amendment were added to the Constitution. However, it was the intention of the founding fathers to protect individual rights over the common good."

"Our founding fathers, when framing the Constitution, did not know what to expect in the future, or how well their original ideas would work. Therefore, they made the Constitution in a way so that it could be changed as society changes. At that time, Americans had just fought to free themselves from oppression, and had they listed too many restrictions within the Constitution it never would have been accepted. Furthermore, people were so proud to be free that abuse of privileges was never considered. Now, it is completely different. Because people only think of themselves and their individual needs instead of the good of the whole, problems have erupted."
Robin Ebert, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"The founding fathers could not have known "how complex and interdependent our civilization would become." Nevertheless, I feel the early leaders of our country were wise by placing trust in the responsibility of individuals."
Amanda, Snyder, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"The world today is much different from the world when our country was begun. The laws that applies then do not necessarily apply now, and certain liberties that were granted then have been so abused in the past that they cannot be completely guaranteed now. 200 years ago, this country was not in the sate in which it is now. We have become a very intelligent and technological society, which has enabled us to manipulate our government and our justice system. When Washington and his fellow revolutionaries drew up the bill of Rights, which ratified the Constitution, their original ideas of "Freedom of Expression" and "Freedom of Speech" most certainly did not include the exploitation of innocent children and exposure of sexual acts over a public-wide service called the "Internet." The original intent of our founding fathers was a country in which citizens could lead lives guaranteeing the civil freedoms everyone should be granted, while at the same time maintaining order and justice to protect the country’s inhabitants. It can be rightfully said that when faced with the decision between individual liberty and the welfare of the community, Washington and his fellow revolutionaries would have, without hesitation, chosen the latter."
Dawn Armstrong, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"Society today is plagued with very serious issues- issues that otherwise would not even surface if we were in ideal surroundings. Moral ideas and backgrounds are practically non-existent nowadays, and so surfaces the issues with government and police intervention. Many current problems between America’s government and its citizens have a lack of self-discipline on a personal level at the root.
Would our founding fathers "have adjusted the balance between individual liberty and the welfare of the public and put greater emphasis on the protection of the community" if they had foreseen today’s situation? Probably not. Underlying concepts of individual liberty and freedom from governmental tyranny is the basis for our constitution. Our founding father were seeking this, which is why they came to America in the first place. I find it hard to believe that our founding fathers would have let any other factors influence them away from this goal."
Jackie Ward, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

History
"People came to the New World to get away from the strict rule of government. As time passed, the need for an organized government and written laws increased, so the Constitution was written. The idea of states’ rights was a fiery issue along with individual liberty. Each state wanted to protect its rights and government, while most individuals did not want a large, powerful central government. These were viewed as threats to the unity of a country."
Page Thead, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

Role of the Individual
"Americans are now facing societal issues such as violence, pornography on the Internet, underage drinking, gangs roaming our streets, and prostitution. Most of the decisions people face with these issues today can be decided based only on an individual’s morals, not the opinion of the federal government. "The ultimate responsibility is personal determination" in getting these problems resolved. "’I believe our government [has] spent the last 50 years convincing us of the need for regulation.’" People who refuse to accept responsibility for their actions will not follow regulations for their actions. Regulating everyone will not affect those who refuse responsibility."
Page Thead, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"People are so afraid nowadays to speak their minds for the fear that they might offend someone. So, therefore, it is left to the judiciary system to place judgment on offenders. But the problem that lies in this is the fact that most trials consist of a jury of peers. These contain the same kind of people who are in society and do not want anyone angry at them because they actually told the offender, "Hey, you’re wrong." So, we are pretty much back to square one. However, there is the small selection of people who feel that the betterment of their community and country is their responsibility. There are the few who form neighborhood watches to keep crime out of their neighborhoods. There are those who get together and try to clean up the streets in which they live. And even though they get lost in the masses of the population who refuse to compromise their own lives, there are those who see someone committing a misdemeanor, or even a serious crime, and they do not think twice about reporting it. The police and courts are the tools for keeping our country safe and fit to live in, but a quality society is constant by everyday Americans."
Dawn Armstrong, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

Responsibility
"Personal responsibility must be respected by all branches of the government in order for the country to unite for the common good. America is based on a citizen’s right to choose; when he chooses to behave responsibly, our government does not have to regulate the rights of the individual."
Page Thead, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"It is extremely important for citizens to understand their rights and responsibilities as individuals. I strongly believe personal responsibly plays an important roll in creating a balance of both individual liberty and common good for the community. I believe that mankind must understand that individual responsibility is significant in order to experience personal freedom. For example, people must realize that they are responsible for themselves. If man believes in and trusts in himself, he will experience a whole new area of freedom. However, people should understand their own boundaries. In order to gain individual freedom, man must learn to respect others. Without self-discipline and responsibility, I believe the laws which the government creates are of no value. I feel that if people are responsible enough to respect others, a newfound understanding of personal liberty will be discovered."
Amanda, Snyder, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"If every man would take some personal responsibility in balancing individual liberty and the common good the country would be a safer, more productive place to live. The citizens of this nation should demand personal responsibility from one another, and realize that everything they do affects another person in some way. We should not fight over the right to have individual liberties if it would mean putting the welfare of the community in peril. These liberties are given to us by the Bill of Rights. Legislatures and courts are constantly defining in practice what these Rights guarantee in theory. Yes, the Bill of Rights protects individual liberties, but not at the expense of the community welfare."
Jennifer Julian, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"If people accepted responsibility for their actions or simply accepted the responsibility of doing what is right, these laws would not be necessary. However, until people come to view the problems in our country as true problems and not just the government’s excuses for taking away their liberty, things will never change. When people feel they should have the right to do anything they please without a thought of what they could be doing to another human being, steps need to be taken by the government to protect the innocent.
In order to balance individual liberty and the common god, people must first begin to accept their personal responsibility. Without their taking responsibility, the government has to intervene and protect the citizens of our country. The safety of the people must be placed before the liberty of individuals, because if this were reversed, our country would not be able to survive. Could a society that accepted personal responsibility ever exist?"
Kelly Lynn Kirkpatrick, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

Role Models
"Children are often shown wrongdoing at an early age. Therefore, corrupt ideas are implanted and carried with them throughout their lives."
Robin Ebert, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

"Many times, the guilty go free. What kind of message is that sending to the younger generation? The only thing the children will learn from this way of governing is that even if they commit a crime, they will more than likely get away with only a slap on the hand. With this message being given, people will not take responsibility and there will never be an equilibrium between individual liberties and the common good."
Kelly Lynn Kirkpatrick, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

First Person to Agree With Supreme Court re: Gun Control
"Many issues dealing with gun control have been said to deny the rights of individuals. One example of the rising concern about gun control is the Supreme Court. Although I truly believe gun control is a serious problem, I do agree with the court’s decision. I also agree with Tim Leslie’s belief that "gun owners should be free to pursue their hobby and the penalties should be imposed only on unlawful use." This is partly due to my belief that denying one’s right to have a gun in unconstitutional. Another reason I approve of the court’s decision is that I feel responsibility should be a consequential part of dealing with gun control. I do appreciate that young children lack a clear understanding of this responsibility. Nevertheless, I feel that parents must be responsible and control the possession of guns. Once again if man would rely on self-discipline, this violation of other people’s personal freedom would not occur."
Amanda, Snyder, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

Religion
"However, the government can go too far in trying to control people’s actions. Take for instance prayer in school. The government decided that religion does not belong in school. Since this decision, crime rates have gone up, teen pregnancies have increased, and teachers have begun to lose control in the classroom."
Kelly Lynn Kirkpatrick, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama                   back