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Know Your Responsibility

Posted: 12/14/2008

Why does Oprah get so much money? Why does every country besides the U.S. begin their evening news with George Bush? Should the Library of Congress give out college-level books free?

On Tuesday, June 12, Dr. Troy Justesen, Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education for the U.S. Department of Education, gave a presentation unlike any the PSLA interns had heard during the first week of the Academy.

“Know your responsibility,” Dr. Justesen constantly told the students, reminding them that it is this generation’s responsibility to find the answers to several important questions. Every hand in the room went in the air when Dr. Justesen asked, “How many of you have had a measles shot?” After noting that every American has to get one before entering school, Justesen went on to say that the cost of a measles shot today is .00. When he explained that 3,900 children under the age of eight worldwide would die from measles by the time his presentation was over, we were shocked, appalled and disgusted.

Throwing out more questions—Why does Oprah get so much money? Why does every country besides the U.S. begin their evening news with George Bush? Should the Library of Congress give out college-level books free?—Dr. Justesen continued to challenge the students’ minds.

Dr. Justesen also shared artificial intelligence statistics. In the year 2013, he explained, there will be a master computer that will exceed the knowledge of human beings. In 2023, that master computer will cost only ,000. It is said that our knowledge doubles every three years; however, in the year 2050, knowledge will double every 72 hours. “For the first time in the history of the presidency, this presidential race actually reflects the American people” said Dr. Justesen.

He left the students with the thought that if things are so complex, situations are so bad and we as civilians know the government makes the final decisions of society, then it is our responsibility to know our responsibility, and to become leaders so we can make sure this country prevails.