Bill of Rights: There is nothing perfect in our lives...

Our portal “American Clubs – Ukraine” continues publishing the essays, submitted to the Second Annual Student Essay Competition in support of Democracy in Ukraine, on the topic “Bill of Rights in the US: Democracy Lessons for Ukraine”.

As we all know, there is nothing perfect in our lives. American people noticed that their constitution is not ideal. So at least 4 years after adoption of the Constitution in the Congress were flocked numerous proposals letters. So, James Madison prepared some additions to the Constitution which we call Bill of Rights. It consists of list of 10 amendments.

I regard that the US Constitution is more prudent than Ukrainian one. Ukraine got Constitution not western but eastern type in which we see remnants of socialism. What is more, in Ukrainian Constitution basic value is a human life, which is a pure fiction. If you follow our Constitution literally soldiers can avoid going into a battle and risking their lives. Usually, people sacrifice their lives to defend freedom, sovereignty and integrity of the country, but any soldier can get the Constitution out of his pocket and said that he would not fight, because his life, on the basis of the Constitution of Ukraine, is the most expensive of all that he has to protect. I suppose that it is not normal and we must change something. As for my opinion we must focus on the American Constitution, which is based on common sense that, in order to improve our Constitution. The USA is the first country, which adopted the written constitution in the modern sense of this word. There is clearly defined its value and the highest one is the freedom of the people. American model says that the first must be freedom, then everything else. But it is obviously, that the pure American Constitution will not work for us. The constitution must be organic, which matches the psychological nature nation, grow from its history and culture, based on the relationships that have established themselves and act in society. Just as the suits are made for an every person, and the Constitution must be written for an every specific civil society. Only than society will feel in well-tailored suit quite comfortable.

To sum up, I must say that we should not blindly copy the style of life from other countries, including America. We can get some features of the different countries, but we must understand that it has to comply with the mentality of our country. And of course, much depends on the government. I believe that all the changes in the country should be performed only for the benefit of citizens.

Author: Anastasiya Derevyanko, Kryvyj Rig Central City Lyceum

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Competition is held by the Center for Political Studies (Donetsk, Ukraine), jointly with the portal “American Clubs – Ukraine”, and the Kyiv Alumni Resource Center (ARC). General partner of the competition: American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii (Honolulu, USA). Partners of the competition: Institute of Professional Lobbying and Advocacy (IPLA) and Donetsk Regional Association of International Researchers (DAIR). More detailed information about the competition is available here.