Poster Contest Winners
Symbols Poster Contest
Allison Amacio
Grade 3 - Hanson Elementary School, Lebanon, ME
History Poster Contest
Silvi Emami-Greifendorf
Grade 4 - Rangeley Lakes Regional School, Rangeley, ME
Essay Contest Winner
Maine Constitution Essay
Ava Anderson
Grade 7, Windsor Elementary School, Windsor, ME
Maine Constitution Essay
In this essay I will explain Article 1, Declaration of Rights, Section 4 of the Maine Constitution. This Article of the Constitution regards freedom of speech and publication.I will explain why we have and/or need this part of our Constitution, and I will look at what would happen if we didn't have Article 1, Section 4 of the Maine Constitution.
The reason we need freedom of speech is because it reinforces all other human rights. It makes our society better because everyone can state their opinion, have equal recognition, and say exactly what they want to say, however they want to say it. It is an essential human right that allows society to progress. The ability to express your opinion and speak freely are crucial to bringing change to society.
This article affects me personally because I am able to state my opinion freely and without fear. The article also opens up career choices for me, such as news reporter or author.
There are many Maine women tied in with this right who were able to accomplish what they did because of the Freedom of Speech Article in the Maine Constitution. Three women who were either born and raised in Maine, or living in Maine when they wrote or published their controversial ideas specifically come to mind.
Women such as Margret Chase Smith, who was born and brought up in Skowhegan, Maine. Senator Smith was the only person at the time who dared exercise her freedom of speech before the United States Senate. Her Conscience Speech put new perspectives into many people's thoughts and hearts. Her speech, given on June 1, 1950, voiced concern that those who held beliefs like the right to criticize, the right to hold unpopular beliefs, and the right of independent thought would be labeled as a communist.
There is also Harriet Beecher Stowe who moved to Brunswick, Maine in 1850. It was here that she wrote her most famous novel ... Uncle Tom's Cabin, which highlighted the evils of slavery. Her writing changed how people thought about human rights with the publication of this bestselling book.
Another outspoken person whose unpopular opinions changed America, was Rachel Carson. This determined woman was a Maine summer resident, and wrote many pages of her controversial book, Silent Spring, in her cottage on Southport Island in the 1960s. Through her writing, she improved our world by alerting people about the environmental impact of pesticides
None of these women could have influenced our world without Article 1, Declaration of Rights, Section 4 of the Maine Constitution. If we didn't have an article that guarantees that every citizen may freely speak, the government would be able to prosecute people for disagreeing with them. Just imagine not being able to state your opinion or publish anything the government did not agree with!
Our Maine Constitution allowed our state to grow as a community with every citizen free to have and state their opinion. Today many people take freedom of speech for granted and don't understand how lucky they are to live in a place where they may speak freely and not have to worry about being prosecuted. We should never take freedom of speech or any other right guaranteed by the Maine Constitution for granted, and respect the people who work now, and those who worked in the past to guarantee our freedom and make our state such a wonderful place to live.
Bibliography:
https://legislature.maine.gov/ros/LawsOfMaine/#Const
https://www.quora.comlWhat-wouId-happen-if-freedom-of-speech-was-removed-from-the-First-Amendment
https://llpacificlegal.org/remembering-why-free-speech-is-important/
https://www.maine.gov/legis/const/
https://www.maine.gov/sos/kids/
The Importance of Voting and Democracy Essay
Olga Baciu
Grade 10, Highview Christian Academy, Charleston, ME
Every Vote Counts
As we watch the television, in country after country, we see citizens go to the polls, often with massive turnouts to choose their leaders democratically. Many of these countries still face enormous challenges, particularly because underdevelopment and poverty continue to frustrate people's dreams and aspirations. But one very positive sign is that people are participating in the democratic process and consider democracy as the only path to follow.
International observers say that most of the elections are "clean and competitive," and people are resorting to the ballot box to settle their differences. Over and over again, words like "openness," "transparency," and "accountability" describe these elections.
In any election, votes must be weighted equally in determining the winner. The results of the election must be accepted as official and binding for a period of time, after which another election must occur. Without the guarantee of a future election, it would be difficult to hold those accountable for their actions.
The essential conditions for democratic elections are political equality, universal suffrage, meaningful choice, and the free flow of information about the candidates, issues, and parties. Political equality requires that there be no classes or ranks, and no individuals or groups whose positions elevate them and their votes to a higher status or greater weight. As Thomas Jefferson stated in the Declaration of Independence, "All men are created equal." So if everyone is of equal worth, then all citizens should have equal influence on the election's outcome. This means that there is a principle of one person with one vote.
The best way to guarantee voter turn-out is compulsory voting. A few Democracies, such as Argentina, Australia, Belgium, and Brazil have mandatory voting laws that require citizens to perform this responsibility or suffer a penalty, such as a fine. This requirement has raised voter participation in Australia to 94 percent, which is much, higher than in the United States.
But the United States has another problem besides low voter turnout. The people who most often fail to vote are those who are already left behind--the poor, the homeless, the unemployed, and the less educated. This makes it more likely that policies will be geared disproportionately to the interests of well-off Americans. Politicians know who the important Americans are--the people who make their voices heard at the ballot box.