Gilbert Gutknecht: “It is my pleasure today to pay tribute to a remarkable youngster from my district. His name is Christopher Deufel, and…”

“It is my pleasure today to pay tribute to a remarkable youngster from my district. His name is Christopher Deufel, and he is the first place winner of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Voice of Democracy Broadcast Script Writing Contest for the State of Minnesota. Christopher is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Deufel and is currently a senior at Austin Senior High School in Austin, MN. His interests include reading, debate, and swimming. He is also president of both his high school student council and the National Honor Society. Christopher is planning to attend St. Olav College in Northfield, MN, where he intends to pursue a degree in either physics or economics. His essay, entitled 'Answering America's Call,' was a genuinely patriotic piece of writing, and I am honored to share several passages for the House today. We answer America's call by maintaining the ideals of democracy. Our Nation was founded on the ideals of compromise and equal opportunity. From Henry Clay to President Roosevelt, our leaders have sought solutions to our daily problems. These solutions do not come easily; they require foresight and effort, but there are solutions and it is our responsibility to answer this call. Often it seems that our society is out of focus. From big cities to rural towns, violence and poverty are issues we face daily. Too often we become immune to the problems affecting us. The desensitization of our culture is a growing problem.”