And now to read her winning essay, I am
very pleased to present to you,
representing VFW Post 1581,
Omaha and Auxiliary. Department of
Nebraska, our first place Voice of
Democracy winner Shruthi
Kumar.
First and foremost I'd like to thank the
VFW organization and the Auxiliary for
giving us the opportunity to be up here
and make it this far. Without them we
wouldn't have had the chance to even
compete in an organization like this.
Also I wanted to thank my parents and my
sister for being the greatest
cheerleaders and helping me make it this
far. So without further ado, here's my
speech. The study of psychology reveals
the concept of sensory adaptation - the
idea that we're becoming less sensitive
to a stimulus after constant exposure to
it. For example, if you're wearing a ring
on your finger you may be aware of its
presence during the first few weeks you
wear it, but after some time you no
longer notice it. Similarly in America,
we've been numb to noticing the
greatness of America - a sense that we've
too easily adapted to. Rather than
focusing on the negativity that plagues
the headlines, we must focus on
appreciating the existing
revolutionaries of the modern world that
call America home. Baby Taj Mohammed - the first American woman to wear a hijab
while competing for the United States in
the Olympics.
Emma Gonzales - the teen activist who
voiced her opinion after surviving the
Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting in
Parkland. Warren Buffett - a multi
billionaire who still lives in the same
house he bought in 1958 in Omaha,
Nebraska. A simple 5 bedroom, 2.5 bath
room house. These are Americans - fearless
pioneers, brave leaders and humble
workers. The spirit of America is healthy,
and the potential for love: abundant. So
the time to recognize the glory of
America is now because contentment grows
only after we've planted the seeds of
gratitude. Acknowledging and reveling in
the brilliance of America will bring us
one step closer to achieving our pursuit
of happiness. Historically, British
imperialism dominated several countries,
essentially ruling the world. However, the
majority of the countries that were
impacted by the British Empire
eventually gained independence. But what
made America achieve a level of
prosperity much superior to the rest of
the countries? The stars aligned
perfectly for America as our founders
developed the rich and evergreen
Constitution, which grants us our
freedoms and honors human rights. The
ideas developed during the birth of
America are still reflected in her
descendants today. As Americans, we speak
up for what we believe in, doing justice
to our freedom of speech. Our culture of
individuality breeds strength and
courage in our hearts. The parades and
marches through the streets of every city
ignite power and patriotism in the
hearts of Americans. Our nationwide
ambition and drive is reflected in each
citizen. Every individual learns to work
hard and realize their dream, to bring
the best for themselves and their
families.
We aim high, so we achieve high, and we
set an example for those that follow,
especially our children. As a child, the
first thing I learned in kindergarten
was the Pledge of Allegiance. We all
stood up, faced the flag and placed our
hands on our hearts, reciting together as
one, "I pledge allegiance to the United
States of America." Each heart that enters
an American school is shaped to be a
patriotic one. It continues to be
throughout their educational lives as
they transition to become passionate
citizens contributing to our society. And
even to this day we see our flag flying,
but do we truly notice it? The red as our
courage to stand up for what we believe
in, the white as the purity of American
hearts and the blue as the perseverance
for justice that never rests. As JFK
proclaimed, let every nation know whether
it wishes us well or ill that we shall
pay any price, bear any burden, meet any
hardship, support any friend, oppose any
foe, to assure the survival and success
of Liberty. We are a pioneer of
technology, a global influencer and a
driven nation. We actualize change by inventing,
leading and challenging worldviews.
The freedom of civil disobedience challenges
our nation to be more resilient and
progressive. We are the strongest role
model for the world. America is truly
amazing, because you can find people of
various skin colors and religions who
are equally united in their love and
belief in America. Each educator, cadet,
cashier, entrepreneur, veteran, custodian
or computer engineer have all been
pulled in by the radiating energy and
promise of the American land. And that's
why America is worth fighting for.
That's why the men and women in the
military voluntarily risk their lives to
protect it. America's good karma attracts
dedicated citizens to serve its country - 
the kind of citizens like Nathan Hale,
whose only regret was that he had but
one life to lose for his country. The
human psyche has a tendency to
desensitize to constant stimuli, however
we must draw from the patriotic fervor
in our hearts to not only see but to
notice the greatness that is America
