Runner Up: Matt Torres, senior, Wissahickon High, Montgomery County
By the time January 20th rolls around, President Trump should have to face a painful reality that has corroded the foundation of American democracy: for far too long, the powerful have lined up our system against ordinary citizens. It is now time for us to understand just how money and privilege have warped our government.
As Lincoln reminded us in his Gettysburg Address, ours is a government “of the people, by the people, for the people” —not for the elite few. This is not a concept but an imperative. Reform is needed to hold the mighty accountable and amplify the voices of the unheard. The president must translate his words into concrete measures to heal our divided nation. Real reform entails an abolition of the deeply set injustices that enable money and influence to quiet the majority.
Leadership should give way to listening to those on the margins instead of holding onto the status quo. What this country cannot afford any longer is a government that protects the privileged few at the expense of those it has sworn to serve. It is a moment for the restoration of our democratic values: a government in which all citizens have an equal voice and an equal chance to improve their lives, regardless of their social background.
President Trump must show that his administration is committed to making America great-a government of the people, by the people, and for the people-and one that truly reflects the enduring principles of equality and justice.
