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Don Dignan
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Ron King
Congratulations to all five students who entered our contest. It takes a lot of extra work researching and writing an essay. I'm sure most of us have relatives who could have entered our contest but decided not to put in the time and effort!
A special thank you to our seven judges: Mary Boudreau, Debby Bradley, Cheryl Brown, Nancy Dignan, Mason Grahl, Bob Paul and Rich Whipple.
The two other participating students: (in alphabetical order)
Ms. Zoe Moore, Sarah Lawrence College, Granddaughter of Bob Humphrey
Ms. Lauren Wietchy, Saginaw Valley State, Niece of Jim Austin
Jamie Light's mother with Ron King Jay Roberts
and Dean Bell
What does the U.S. Constitution mean to you? When the United States Constitution was adopted in September of 1787, it was done in the name of "the People". Those "People" deserved to have a better governing body than what they were previously under the rule of, one where peace reigned, where they were protected, and where they were free. The Preamble to the Constitution lays out what the document sets out to accomplish within its pages. "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." This gave our nation an identity. Even though the country's elite composed the Constitution, it was in fact made for the common man (Mount). These three points are inherent in how the Constitution still affects us and it is exactly what it means to me: granting the American people peace, protection, and freedom.
As Benito Juarez, a former president of Mexico, once said, "Respect for the rights of others is peace." He perceived the United States as "a model of republican democracy (Stacy 436)." When the writers of the Constitution created this document, they wanted to ensure that the citizens of the United States would be able to live in a nation that worked in harmony within its borders and with its government. "[I]nsur[ing] domestic tranquility (US Const., preamble)" had first meant that they wanted to keep peace between the states and to quell any rebellion which may have occurred. The framers of the Constitution knew the legal system itself should not be excessively burdensome, such that it inhibits citizens’ ability to do good, to prosper, and to live in harmony as they see fit without the government impeding upon their rights.
The Constitution insists on the protection of the country's citizens, its values, and its laws. For example, it promises that "[t]he United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence (US Const., art. IV, sec. 4)." The Constitution promises a guarantee of the privacy and sanctity of one’s home, and security and protection against injustice of any kind.
The framers knew that freedom, unrepressed by law, could not maintain itself. Since freedom implies the authority to do evil as well as good, the law is needed to protect the weak, discipline criminals, and ensure that one man’s freedom does not result in another man's enslavement just as Amendment 13 did, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction (US Const., amend. XIII)." Democracy in its truest form leads inevitably to despotism of the majority and the framers wanted to balance the new U.S. government so that no individual person or group could take hold of complete control by a single election. Keeping our republic has often presented enormous challenges. Domestic disagreements and foreign antagonism have required us to march to war in the nation's defense. Concluding the immorality of widespread racial intolerance took more than a century of hard work and sacrifice. The freedoms we may now take for granted are only ours because others have dedicated their lives to achieving them.
While the Declaration of Independence granted liberation and freedom for the U.S. people from their English oppressors, the Constitution sets out the parameters for which this will be attained. In a letter from Thomas Jefferson to John Cartwright in 1824, Jefferson affirms, "Nothing... is unchangeable but the inherent and unalienable rights of man (Lipscomb, and Bergh 48)." The Constitution is the foundation for freedom in the United States. It grants us intrinsic rights such as those stated in the First Amendment: freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition (US Const., amend. I). Even if the Constitution does not explicitly state something in particular, then it is up to the government to ascertain if the Constitution allows for this. United States citizens should have faith that their government is working hard to make the country as great as it possibly can be. Our Constitution succeeds by enumerating both the powers and limitations of our executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, as well as by leaving meaningful autonomy to the states. Its amendments develop it even more by acknowledging the innate human rights of the individual in matters such as religion, speech and private property, outlawing slavery, and expanding civil rights such as voting to all adult citizens, in spite of gender or racial background. The Constitution is a manifestation of the brilliance of man. It is a document which for the first time in human history sets out to assert the rights of the individual and sets restrictions on government so as to not infringe upon those rights. It allows one to live their own life and to reap the rewards of their efforts. It is the culmination of a moral principle stretching from Aristotle to John Locke to the founding fathers. It’s the rock upon which the United States was built. It has also been used numerous times as a resource for creating constitutions for other countries’ government whose people want the same freedoms as Americans. The world sees the United States as a "city on a hill" and rightfully so. As a nation, we are looked upon as leaders, and the Constitution has played a huge part in that.
The Founding Fathers intended for the United States Constitution to stand the test of time, to adapt to this ever changing world, and it has. It has weathered every storm that our country has encountered and to this day it is seen as a symbol of strength and justice to Americans. To this day our armed forces swear to fight and protect so that we can continue to keep those constitutional beliefs from being taken from us. To me, the U.S. Constitution has many faces, it is our country's ever stable foundation, our balance, our protection, and our freedom.
When I consider the Constitution I think of the document that our country's entire belief system is based upon. No matter how much time passes or what crisis arises the leaders of our nation look to the Constitution in order to solve any problem. September 11th was one of the most devastating days in American history. It was a frightful and agonizing day for Americans. In this state of panic President Bush followed protocol set forth by the constitution and requested that Congress grant permission to go to war. In the following days after the attack, further legislation was passed in order to protect the United States from future terrorism such as The Patriot Act. From that day on our country moved forward rebuilding and becoming stronger everyday by using the processes and beliefs set down by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution. Even in the most dire situations the Constitution has remained the cornerstone of the United States
One of the most clever aspects of the U.S. Constitution is the concept of three branches complete with a system of checks and balances that ensures an equal distribution of power throughout those branches. The constitution puts Congress in control of making the laws and gives the president the power to enforce the laws. The judicial branch is given the power to decide what is constitutional or not in the first place and every branch has its own system of checks on the other branches. This balance protects Americans from any one branch becoming too powerful and protects against any rash decision making. Just recently Congress passed a bill that President Obama signed into law. This bill is referred to as the Healthcare Reform Act. District and Appellate courts have reviewed the bill and have found portions of the bill to be unconstitutional. It is expected that the bill will be sent to the Supreme Court for further investigation. This is a modern day example of how the constitution balances power among the three branches, protecting the American citizens from any unconstitutional law. If not for this constitutional balance, it is not likely that the United States would be the same free country that it is today
The Constitution's first priority has always been to protect the people's rights, ever since it's creation. In the past it was common for rulers to neglect writing out a constitution in order to maintain complete and total control of his or her people. The Founding Fathers had enough foresight to insist on a written document in order to protect Americans from a power hungry, manipulative leader. The Founding Fathers even went so far as to create a Bill of Rights within the Constitution to ensure that the people's individual rights were protected as well. The Bill of Rights is made up of the first ten amendments to the constitution. This section of the Constitution gives Americans the right to speak freely, the right to bear arms, protection from quartering troops, and protection against unreasonable search and seizure. Americans are also given rights that protect them in a trial such as due process, trial by jury, and protection against cruel or unusual punishment. The Bill of Rights also protects the rights of the people not specifically enumerated in the Constitution, this is known as the ninth amendment. In this way the Constitution makes a blanket statement in order to protect Americans from any loop holes that would take away rights. This was crucial for the Founding Fathers, rights were never to be taken away from the people. The Constitution ensures this protection for Americans.
As I mentioned beforehand, when our Founding Fathers were creating our Constitution their main goal was to create a document that above all else, protected the freedoms of the people. The Preamble of the Constitution states that “We the People of the United States in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty, to ourselves and our posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. As Americans we pride ourselves on the freedoms and rights that the Constitution has enumerated for them. We have the freedom to speak out at will, the freedom to practice any religion we please, and the freedom to assemble peacefully to petition our beliefs. Unfortunately these freedoms are sometimes taken for granted. We don't always fully appreciate the fact that we are allowed to speak out about anything we want, whenever we want when there are people in other countries that can't speak out at all for fear of being punished by their government. We don't have those fears here in America. It is important that, as Americans, we never take for granted the freedoms that we have been given. We need to pay the highest respects we can to those who have gone before us and fought for us to have those rights and to those who will continue to do so to ensure that we keep them.
In recent years it has become more and more apparent that Americans don't pay much attention to the constitution. We aren't even allowed to say the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools anymore. This isn't what America is about. We are the land of the free and the home of the brave, we need to take pride in our country and be thankful everyday that we live in one of the greatest countries in the world. We are a country that gives everyone an equal opportunity to become individually successful and allows for that success to be achieved. Americans are not oppressed by power hungry leaders no matter how hard any national leader may try, our Constitution protects us from them. We have some of the best college institutions in the world allowing for an educated and competitive nation. We are always becoming better, always taking steps to become more intelligent, a little faster, a little stronger, all of these efforts culminating into an ever changing and adaptable nation. Throughout all of this our Constitution has held strong and gotten us through any obstacle that has come our way. The U.S. Constitution has stood the test of time for a reason. Our Founding Fathers created the document in a way that would allow for change and adaptability. The Constitution has changed with the times and will continue to do so throughout America's future. I hope to one day become apart of our nation's judicial system so that I can keep the Constitution alive everyday in my line of work. Becoming a Supreme Court Justice is my ultimate goal, and I would love nothing more than to become one of our nation's great leaders upholding the ideals and beliefs of our forefathers. The Constitution will remain a symbol of strength and justice to Americans and our national leaders will continue to stand by the Constitution in order to uphold the principles and standards of our wise Founding Fathers. The United States Constitution has many faces. It is our countries ever stable foundation, our balance, our protection, and our freedom.
The Constitution of the United States represents a revolutionary proposal that a government is intended to serve its citizens instead of citizens subjugating to a moh or dictator. The document was considered quite progressive at its conception, and was intended to grow as such to further serve the needs of the American Citizenry. The document provided the framework for a functional system of government and protection of personal freedoms and cannot itself be blamed for the lack of progress American society has demonstrated since adopting it. The arguments over how to apply Constitutional provisions have produced detrimental results, hindering the healthy development of American society rather than fostering healthy political debate. It is my belief that the United States Constitution represents both the freedom of the people as well as the limitations of the Federal Government, is not intended to be interpreted literally, and while representing the illusion of government serving its people at times has been abused to promote agenda.
There is a belief among those upholding the literal interpretation of the Constitution that it does not represent what the people can do, but what the Federal Government cannot. John Arthur in Words That Bind: Judicial Review and the Grounds of Modern Constitutional Theory asserts that to view Government regulation as purely evil is to ignore American history after the Constitution was drafted (58). Slavery was conducted by private entities operating with the goal of profit and was not abolished until legislation was passed against it. The anti-trust act was not a tool of government oppression, but an attempt to cease the cruelty displayed by greedy individuals with little regard for human rights or the workers they employed to carry out their "vision". The notion of taxation as thievery is contradictory to the need for military protection and national infrastructure. Americans don't just squat and receive protection from foreign threats, there is a price for such protection and to rely on private entities or contributions for such protection is ludicrous. The problem is not with the collection of taxes, but the misuse of the revenue obtained from the people. It is not the central government that is to blame, but individuals or organizations intent on promoting their own agenda at the cost of the greater good. The ability of the people to act is explicitly provided when they are given the opportunity to vote. The Bill of Rights grants freedoms, things that people can do, which also helps define what the Federal Government cannot do. To claim that the Constitution is intended only for government limitation is to deny the connection the document provides for the people to the government, the ability to exercise their opinion and limit or enable the Federal Government as they see fit. The current issue of health care regulation is an example that clearly illustrates this relationship. Despite opposition from conservative entities, the people voted to pass President Obama’s Health Care Plan. Whether this plan was altruistic, intended to improve the quality of health care for all Americans, or deceptive, intended for the economic gain of some corporations remains to be seen. But the people felt that their best interest was not being considered and voted to try to make a change. If the plan proves to be ineffective or detrimental, then they will no doubt take the responsibility and initiative to vote for a change. The intended balance between personal freedom and government limitation is both explicit and implied within the Constitution.
To attempt a literal interpretation when applying Constitutional philosophy is an insult to the writers and an ineffective approach to governing contemporary American society. I feel that the necessary and proper clause was not only a provision for adaptation, it was a prompt. Despite the proposed back door dealings that occurred between the parties at the time of the Constitutional Convention, described by Erwin Chemerinsky in The Conservative Assault on the Constitution ( 72), I strongly believe that they possessed the foresight to realize that the explicit provisions they drafted would not be applicable future government or American society unless they were updated. Not that the core principles should be abandoned, but the very fact that "citizens" were defined as male land owners and women were not allowed to vote is evidence enough that the text is itself flawed, at least for contemporary applications. Arthur raises the issue of a judge ruling on a wire tap and how it is impossible to resolve such an issue based solely on the text itself (33). To attempt to regressively fit the trajectories of modern American ideologies and legislation to a curve of best fit within the original document is dysfunctional and futile. Extrapolation is essential for the growth of both the Constitution and American Government. While the Constitution represents to me the landmark concept of a government serving its people and the freedoms of the people, it also has come to represent the illusion of participation and influence which veils the true intent of the politicians elected or appointed to enforce it. Chemerinsky refers to the recount in the 2000 Presidential Election, where Republican Judges facilitated the process despite questions of its legitimacy, to "further their ideological agenda" (147). The frustration and distrust the people have for the political process is evident in the lack of voters that exercise their influence during elections at all levels, federal included. This is no doubt recognized by some politicians that simply wish to maintain the status quo, realizing their inactivity represents less opposition. Those that appeal to their demographic are only able to do so by saying what the voters want to hear. Once elected, officials take actions and pass legislation that is often contradictory to what was promised, a trend that has been consistent for many generations. The Constitution has become a device for impeding political change, rendering any revision of policies and laws to a glacial velocity. The very process within the framework, although actually quite ingenious and theoretically conducive to accurately representing public opinion, has been manipulated to create a stalemate for economic development and a mask for the true magnitude of influence lobbyists and corporations have on Federal Laws and Policies. The people are still represented and influential, but to believe that the idealistic voter wields a mighty weapon with their ballot is naïve. Voters are able to influence who goes into office, but are then at their mercy in regard what is actually accomplished while they are there. The lack of effective candidates at the Federal level has taken its toll on the growth of American society. The Constitution may be amended to streamline the voting process and make casting a ballot more accessible and convenient through the incorporation of technology, characteristics that may encourage larger voter turn out and result in a more accurate portrayal of American ideologies. Or require immediate, pervasive transparency for some aspects of the legislative process. Technology represents one progressive element that drives the need for Constitutional amendment. It can enhance accessibility or be used to exploit citizens, both by individuals or government entities. Technology is a powerful tool, not unlike the Constitution itself
The United States Constitution represents the recognition from its conception for the need to continually improve upon the system of government in America. The provision for interpretation is the most essential and effective element of the living document, although this provision is often abused or neglected. Just as the values of liberty and freedom are personified by the Statue of Liberty or presidential monuments, the value of progression is personified by the living document whose core ideals remain timeless, regardless of the need for fine tuning. The Constitution must grow with the nation, and the nation can only grow as much as is allowed within Constitutional provisions.
Chapter 528 annually offers three students a total of $1,500.00 to award their essays for our essay scholarship contest.
Effective Monday, August 15th, until midnight Wednesday, September 14, 2011, essays can be turned in by eligible student contestants. They are instructed to send them email directly to Ron King at rking2963@wowway.com.
Ron will assign letter codes to each essay: Essay A, B, C, etc. and share the essays and coded information with Don and me as they are processed. Essays should be checked for basic personal information (cover page data) and be in proper MS Word.doc compatible format (not .docx).
Once all essays are received and coded with students' names/personal data removed, they will be forwarded to the seven judges on Friday, Sept. 16. We will provide the judges with instructions same as last year.
Judges will have until Thursday, Sept. 29th, to return their individual ranking results to Ron and Don who, in turn, will share with me. Please review the rules and procedures to make sure that I haven't omitted anything. http://www.vva528.org/essaycontest.html
Thanks for your assistance!! Hopefully we'll have lots of contestants this year.
Dean Bell, Co-Chairman Essay Scholarship Committee.
VVA 528 is once again offering an Essay Scholarship Contest to Chapter 528 Members, their eligible family members, and to Associates of VVA Chapter 528 (AVVA) Members. Contestants must be students enrolled in an accredited college/university pursuing a degree or enrolled in a technical training/vocational school. Prize awards are 1st Place: $750; 2nd Place $450; and 3rd Place $300. Awards are based on merit and writing skills and not on financial need. The program will be officially launched on July 11, 2011, at the General Membership Meeting at which time the essay topic question will be announced. Essays will be submitted from August 15, 2011, to September 14, 2011, and participants will be notified of the contest results on September 30, 2011. The top three winners will be invited to the VVA528 General Membership Meeting on October 10, 2011, to receive their prize money and certificates. We are encouraging all eligible students to participate and take advantage of this great opportunity offered by Chapter 528. Detailed information including eligibility, rules, and procedure and can be found at the VVA Chapter 528 website, www.vva528.org/essaycontest.html. The Essay Question will be announced at our July 11, 2011 General Membership Meeting and posted at the VFW and online on our Essay Contest Web page.
July 11th to September 14th
Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Plymouth-Canton Chapter 528 is once again offering an
essay scholarship contest this year. The award is not based on financial need. It is a
contest of merit and writing skills. Prize money: 1st Place $750; 2nd Place $450; and 3rd
Place $300.
Eligibility: High school seniors/graduates of the graduating class of 2011 and other students who are pursuing an undergraduate degree from a college or university or any accredited post high school training program such as a vocational technical trade school are eligible. Those pursuing a master’s degree as well as other post-graduate degrees are also eligible for this scholarship.
All Contestants must be either an eligible member of VVA Chapter 528 (paid-up) or eligible member of Associates of Vietnam Veterans (AVVA) Plymouth-Canton, Chapter 528 for at least one-year prior to the posting of the contest (membership since July 10, 2010); or an eligible relative of an active VVA eligible Chapter 528 Member. This relationship includes spouse, son, daughter, granddaughter, grandson, niece, or nephew.
Timing: Essays may be turned in from August 15, 2011, to September 14, 2011. No essays will be eligible for being judged received after midnight Wednesday, September 14. All essays are to be sent by email to Mr. Ron King at rking2963@wowway.com. Attached essay documents must be sent in MS Word .doc format (not .docx)
Judging: Judges will have from Friday, Sept 16, 2011, to Thursday, September 29, 2011, to evaluate and rank all essays. Judging of the essays will be done by a group of Chapter 528 members, associate members, and qualified spouses of members. No judge will know who submitted any essay. Only the Essay Scholarship Committee members will know which essay belongs to which contestant. No one on the Essay Scholarship Committee will act as a judge, and judges should not be a relative of any contestant.
Judges will individually rank all essays submitted. Individual judges’ rankings will only be known by the Essay Contest Committee members. The Committee will assign points to determine the final consolidated rankings of all essays submitted. In the event of a tie(s), prize money will be awarded equally among the tied contestants. Example: 1st place 2-way tie: $600 each, 3rd place $300, etc.
Contest Results and Notification: All participants will be notified by telephone or email September 30,2011, by the Essay Committee. All contestants will receive a participation letter, and the top three winners will be invited to the VVA Chapter 528 General Membership meeting on Monday, October 10, 2011, to receive their prize money and certificates.
Essay Topic Question: The essay topic question will be announced on Monday, July 11, 2011, at the VVA 528 General Membership Meeting, on the VVA Chapter 528 Website www.vva528.org, and posted at the VFW Hall Post 6695 Bulletin Board. It will also be included in the August 2011 Homefront newsletter with the contest announcement, rules, eligibility, and other details.
Essay Requirements: Every essay must contain three essential elements. First, the essay must provide a thesis statement in the introductory paragraph. The thesis statement must encapsulate the main argument for the paper. It must be clear and coherent, and it must answer the essay question. Second, the essay must offer supporting evidence. The writer must provide the supporting evidence in paragraph form. Each paragraph must contain evidence that supports one idea or concept that proves the thesis statement. The writer must provide citations (in footnote, endnote, or parenthetical form) for all evidence presented. Third, every essay must follow basic rules of format and grammar. Every paper must contain a beginning (introductory paragraph), a middle (several supporting paragraphs that comprise the body of the paper), and an end (concluding paragraph). The use of sentence fragments, misspellings, and improper punctuation will be reflected in the overall scoring of essays.
Format and Personal Information: Contestants must include a cover page stating their name, address, phone number, email, university/college or vocational technical trade school, and their association with the chapter member’s name. The cover page is not included as part of the Essay. Contestants must use one-inch margins, readable fonts such as Arial, New York, Times New Roman, or Helvetica, a Font Size of 12 pt., and double spacing. Use MS Word .doc format (not .docx). Use four or five pages for the length of the essay. All pages must be numbered except for the cover page. A Works Cited page must be included with a minimum of 3 references. Essays will be judged on the following criteria: thesis, content, organization, format, and grammar.
Dean Bell, Don Dignan, and Ron King 2011 Essay Scholarship Committee, VVA Chapter 528 June 20, 2011
