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Basic Civil Rights
Kaori Shimizu

Why is it important for people to have basic rights?

            Are you interested in politics? According to some reports, the young generation does not care about politics very much. Actually, I was this way because I can live without thinking about politics. I have no complaints in my life, because I can live freely. I mean< I can do whatever I want, if I have money or opportunities. However, I should not forget that this freedom comes from basic civil rights, I would have a life full of sadness.

            About 300 years ago, people had no civil rights, and there was only one king. He could do whatever he wanted to do, and people had no choice. For example, if some people ware born as farmers, they could not change their jobs. If some people were born as poor, they would be poor their whole lives.

            However, we are living in a world in which we have basic civil rights with no powerful king. We can change our jobs if we want to and have the ability. Also, if we try we could become rich. Moreover, if the government were bad and harmful, we could change it by using our basic civil right of voting.

            We, the youth, tend consider the government or politics as unimportant. However, it is very important for us. If we did not have basic rights, we might have bad governments and would have no choices the same as people 300 years ago. Also, we have to remember that basic rights were made through the efforts of our forefathers. We have to exercise our basic civil rights by using them because they are the foundations of our lives.

© KCC - ESOL 197-0 Students, Summer 2005