Definitely of a 21st century citizen as state by a natural-born Korean

As the new era of the 3rd millennium approached and began, technology has erupted throughout America. Now in the 21st century, technology essentially has become our lifeline to the world around us, and we continue further down that path each and every day. Because we literally have the world at our fingertips, generally speaking there is an abundance of ways to keep informed on what is going on around us, whether it being television, Internet, apple products, androids etc. Because of all of these additional products being within our immediate reach, a well informed 21st century citizen is able to use these products to keep up with that is happening, what is changing, what is leaving, essentially how our lives are affected by the daily innovations and improvements that are being made. 100 years ago, before Computers and Internet, Televisions, and certainly Apple products were either invented or in use, the informed citizen would have to work harder to keep up. Today, literally the sky is the limit.

Constitutional Principles

If I could add a fifth principle to the Constitution it would be a true separation of Church and State. This nation was founded by Christian principles and one of the main reasons the Europeans came to the Americas was for religious freedom. However based on how the nation is today, I feel religious issues should be dictated by the church only. My church, Dayspring Baptist Church is right now discussing our legal document called the Constitution and Bylaws of the Church, which is a legal document that will and has been used in court to state what we believe. However if at any time the government attempts to interfere we must and have had to use this document to maintain our independent status. I feel as though the religious issues should be within the church only and not dictated in any ways by the church. The church should stand firm in its own beliefs and should not have the government intervening. In addition the government today tries to use its power to limit churches and say what they can and cannot do, like in the instance of the parent church to mine, Quentin Road Baptist Church, they were told by the government how they should dictate their ways of worship, which is why they had to form their Constitution and Bylaws document to submit to the government to keep the out of their way of worship. Their elected board members had to strive to achieve the independent status, much like our nation did. And finally, and perhaps the touchiest subject today, is the issue of the particularly religious political issues of homosexuality and abortion. Although I strongly disagree with both based on my moral and religious beliefs and I strongly speak out against, I feel that is an issue the government should stay out of, legally. Because these are particularly religious issues they should be within the church and address within the church, rather than the federal government. The church should stand firm on its fundamental principles and let the government do its job by keeping America safe and secure for all. I have attached a link on the Reynolds vs. United States US Supreme court. In it we have George Reynolds, a secretary to the well-known Brigham Young, a mormon church leader, and he is protesting against an anti-bigamy statue, which is basically against the polygamy of the Mormon faith. This act basically banned that, so here is a federal decision based on a religious concept, the issue has to do with true separation of church and state. How much can our government fudge itself into the religious practices, and how much is acceptable? This court case is an example of someone who felt that the government is going to far.


http://www.oyez.org/cases/1851-1900/1878/1878_0

Founding Documents

The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are both fundamental pieces of our nation’s origin and beginning, however I feel are very different because the Declaration of Independence was focusing more on obtaining our freedom from the British where when the Constitution was passed in 1789, we have already had our independence for 13 years and now we were determining and beginning our free country government. The Declaration of Independence focused the statement of the oppression our founding fathers experienced, “All Men are Created Equal, Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness” were some of the rights they believed every person deserved. They also went to list many of the King’s faults and why they were upset “He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public Good” being the first. The Constitution however was different, it focused on the rights we would have after already obtaining our independence, “to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote general Welfare” etc. were the beginnings of our nation and the freedom we enjoy today.

About Isaac Young

Primarily I am in the music field, as a violinist, pianist, French horn player, vocalist, and conductor. I’ve been in the Milwaukee Youth Symphony for 8 years, and am currently concertmaster or first chair. My aspirations are to continue in music at either University of Michigan or Eastman School of Music for an undergraduate degree in violin performance and eventually obtain degrees in conducting at the Julliard School to live my dream of a professional or collegiate conductor of orchestras. I’ve been to numerous all-state, national, and international music festivals the most recent being in Greensboro, North Carolina the previous two summers. In addition to music I run cross-country, and am very active in my church, Dayspring Baptist Church.