Essay Contest Winners
 John
Desselle
Colquitt County (GA)
High School
"Citizen Responsibility and the Constitution"
The United States Constitution is more than a framework of government. Even
middle school students realize James Madison and the delegates in Philadelphia
created a government where all citizens ultimately had a voice, but analysis of
the Constitution reveals truths that if applied could institute reform all over
the world.
The first lesson the Constitution teaches is the importance of education. The
men who created America’s framework of government were well educated. James
Madison did not originate the concept of three branches of government with
separation of powers. He read about it in Montesquieu’s book, Spirit of Laws.
If dissatisfied citizens emulated Madison instead of Osama bin Laden, perhaps
reading would replace rioting.
The second lesson the Constitution teaches is the importance of compromise.
Delegates in Philadelphia disagreed, but thirty nine men signed the document. If
they had not compromised, the nation might have lingered under the Articles of
Confederation and been prey to foreign armies. The Great Compromise and the
3/5’s Compromise also attest to the spirit of discussion and negotiation that
permeated meetings in Philadelphia. Obviously, disgruntled citizens could
benefit from this lesson in the Constitution.
Well read citizens who seek solutions to problems via discussion and compromise
are vital to maintaining a peaceful, viable society. Presently the planet is
plagued by the ravages of war, but if all nations, including America, emulated
the lessons of the Constitution, perhaps Al-Qaeda would not exist and the
biblical allusion to beating swords into plowshares would become a reality for
everyone.
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