(Picture credit: Alan Glassman; FCA students talking with Kelly Ayotte [now, Senator-elect from NH])  

Here is the seventh of the VFW’s Voice of Democracy project papers that are being submitted by students of Fellowship Christian Academy – this is Catherine’s (previous submissions: Peter, Maggie, Laura, Kathryn, Grace & Tim):

Ronald Reagan once said that “each generation goes further than the generation preceding it because it stands on the shoulders of that generation. You [the future generations of America] will have opportunities beyond anything we’ve ever known.” Is this not true? Are the opportunities that surround my generation of Americans anything less than gifts bestowed upon us from those brave enough to make a difference throughout our history? If it were not for their absolute dedication to this country, where would we be today, in 2010? The answer to this question is so painfully obvious, yet so rarely acknowledged. We would be nowhere had it not been for the trailblazers of America. Those who took life-changing chances, believing in their hearts that they could and would impact the future; people such as soldiers, who stormed Iwo Jima, who braved the beach of Normandy on D-day, who conquered once and for all tyranny at Yorktown… people just like you and me.
    
We, the next generation of America, have a choice to make. A choice to stand up and take advantage of the countless opportunities that are out there waiting to be discovered, waiting for us to take hold of them and move forward. Why should we allow the innumerable sacrifices made on our behalf go to waste? We cannot let them slip through our fingers. To do so would be nothing less than to waste the blood and tears of so many Americans. We must remember that, as Henri Amiel once said, “Sacrifice still exists everywhere, and everywhere the elect of each generation suffers for the salvation of the rest.”
    
So what? …

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And the papers keep coming on in!  You keep them coming, students, and we’ll keep posting them up.  This is  per is from Tim; previous submissions: Peter, Maggie, Laura, Kathryn, & Grace.

A corrupt government that controls virtually everything, growing crime rates, and few people that mean to do good things.  Face the facts: we live in a world that’s not perfect and can never become perfect.  One thing we can do is make the world a little bit better.  This is the duty of our generation.

Our generation is the future.  This means that we need to plan ahead to be able to change the bad policies and corrupt government.  We are already seeing it all around us.  Rising taxes, inflation, a failed stimulus package, and selfish, self-seeking politicians.  We need to recognize and understand these failures so we are able to fulfill our duty and fix them.  The reasons for tax hikes in this country are failed stimuluses, government control, and raising salaries for Congressmen.  The politicians are concealing their back-room deals and their first priority is not the people they are supposed to be representing.  They are trying to get money for themselves.  The government is corrupt and it needs to be changed.  This is part of my generation’s duty.

I am the person who will change the future.  I am…

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Now that the election is over, it is time to continue to see what the next generation believes its position within our Republic will be; Kathryn’s paper is next!

(Picture credit: Alan Glassman; class picture with John Stephen)  

Previous submissions (this is number four): Peter, Maggie, Laura.

Yes, in fact, my generation IS America’s future. Our everyday choices in life such as voting, holding signs, our religious beliefs, following the law, and training to become good leaders are very important in shaping America’s tomorrows. We have a responsibility to our elders who will not be with us in the coming years. People in the future will look back at what we do now, just as we look back at the actions of our past leaders. We can make a difference in the future of our country by the decisions we make right now.

Voting is one of the best ways to secure the leaders that we want in our government in the years to come. Although some of us are too young to vote, we can still help in the process of choosing the right candidates. One way of doing this is getting signs to hold at street corners or to put in our front yards. Before we do this however, we should make sure that we do research on all the candidates to make sure we are choosing the best ones. Another thing we can do is talk to our parents about who they are voting for and discuss their reasons.

Our religious beliefs…

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Voice of Democracy – a project of the Veterans of Foreign Wars; a competition for high schools on patriotism and civics.  As a reminder, the ‘Grok met up with these students from Fellowship Christian Fellowship at Ovide Lamontagne’s "Return to Red" event in Manchester last week.  During our live interview, it came out that they were all participating in the project and they agreed to share their work with us all. 

This paper is from Grace; previous submissions: Peter, Maggie, Laura, & Kathryn.

On September 8, 1776, a man named Nathan Hale volunteered to spy on the British troops for George Washington during a British takeover in New York City.  Disguising himself as a Dutch schoolteacher, he had almost made it across the British lines when he was discovered.  At the time, hanging was the punishment for spying, so on September 22, 1776, at his execution, he told the British, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Hale was only twenty-one years old.

Does my generation have a role in America’s future? Some people may argue that we don’t, because all the “big” people in our government are much older and wiser than we are. The President must be at least thirty-five, not a young teenager.  What could young people do to help America’s future?

Our generation can do many things to drastically change the path America takes.  Whether it’s becoming…

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