CONGRATULATIONS

2011 Student Scholarship Winning Essay

Our Founding Fathers  by Maggie Mullis

In a society obsessed with modernization and new ideas, it is easy to forget the principles on which this great country was founded. The confusion of equality of opportunity with equality of success, replacement of bold decision making with people-pleasing efforts, and use of freedom as a broad excuse for many unjust acts are just a few common misconceptions made today.

The “American dream” is a concept desired throughout the world. Individuals from the furthest countries immigrate to this nation due to the limited number of racial and economic barriers in the job industry. Hard work pays off in the United States. People are rewarded for what they accomplish and in tum, are penalized when they do not put forth the effort to succeed. This concept is logical and very appealing to those who use it correctly. However, feelings of entitlement are slowly plaguing the land of the free. Programs are being instated that provide for those who do not truly need aid and over provide for those that do. This waste of hard earned American funds, results in large reductions in the compensation of deserving persons, such as teachers. Money that could stimulate the economy, if put into the right hands, is often given instead to unmotivated and idle workers. John Adams once said, “It already appears, that there must be in every society of men superiors and inferiors, because God has laid in the constitution and course of nature the foundations of the distinction.” Today this statement would be highly taboo, due to its bold and seemingly arrogant nature. It is not. Adams is simply recognizing the inevitability of the fact that not everyone will be successful and thus it is ignorant of the government to attempt to ensure the success of all.

The ignorance of our government is not caused by a lack of information, but rather a diluted source of motivation. Today, politicians are not fighting for what is right for the nation, but rather what is most convenient and likely to gain the most powerful votes. Our founding fathers were predominately concerned with the formation of a republic in which they and their brothers could live free from the imposing pressures of Great Britain. They were not afraid of bold decisions, and in fact, made the boldest decision in the nation’s history: deciding to fight the greatest nation in the world, at that time, in order to achieve the freedom they held so dear. Without this decision, which, against all odds, resulted in success, the United States would not exist. Unfortunately, this attitude is extremely rare to come by today. Alexander Hamilton touched on this predicament in Federalist Paper Number 70, “A feeble executive implies a feeble execution of the government. A feeble execution is but another phrase for a bad execution; and a government ill executed, whatever may be its theory, must be, in practice, a bad government.” Feeble is not the reputation the founding fathers wanted for their country’s government, and if politicians do not harden themselves to the pull of power, feeble is what the United States will forever be known as.

Politicians are not the only feeble inhabitants of the United States. A growing trend is the manipulation of freedom as an excuse for wrongdoing. People are free to do as they wish; this is true, consequences, however, will follow intolerable decisions. Now, instead of enduring these consequences, people use freedom to manipulate others into understanding their destructive actions. Enforcers of moral and legal standards are then ridiculed for their “violation of freedom” while in fact, they are protecting society from gross misuse of freedom. If the exploitation of freedom has no repercussion, freedom has no validity. Patrick Henry said, “Bad men cannot make good citizens. A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience is incompatible with freedom.” It would be a disaster if America, the country founded upon freedom, became incompatible with it.

Weak economics, leaders, and justifications are the nation’s current struggles. Our founding fathers would not approve of the path on which their country is currently traveling. It is disturbing to think of their reactions to many Americans’ interpretations of their ideas. However, it is our duty to correct this great error. We must take charge of the future of our nation and align it with its great history; we must live for freedom and moral excellence; and we must always strive for pure understanding. Our founding fathers may be disappointed with present-day United States, but if we put forth the effort, and instill true values upon our children, they will be proud of the United States to come.

National Award

At the recent National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW) Convention in Kansas City, the RWPC received the Club Achievement SILVER AWARD.  This award is presented every two years in recognition of excellence in five categories. The categories are club function, membership development, programs, campaign activites, and community relations.  This is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of its members to the Republican Women of Pitt County (RWPC) and the Republican Party; therefore making your club, the RWPC, one of the best nationally. 

State Award

Three special awards were presented at the North Carolina Federation of Republican Women (NCFRW) state fall meeting.  The RWPC is proud to announce we recieved a special award, Honoring our NC Women Veterans with Purple Heart Quilt.  Our quilt represented the state of NC at the national convention where it hung proudly for everyone from across the country to view and honor the North Carolina women recipients of the Purple Heart. Thank you to the purple heart recipients and all women serving in the United State Military for defending our country and the Constitution of the United States.                                                                                                                                                                                               

The quilt designed and sewn by Angela Lipome will be on displayed beginning this spring in our legislaturers’ office.