The goal of Operation Protect & Defend's Story of America Essay Contest is to encourage critical thinking, active discussion and thoughtful writing about what it means to be a "good citizen" in America today. Americans enjoy a broad range of Constitutional rights that persons living in many other countries do not. These rights include freedom of speech and religion, a right to a fair trial, a right to due process and equal protection, to name a few. Along with these rights, we believe, come certain responsibilities, including the responsibility of each new generation of Americans to maintain and protect those rights in light of the circumstances and challenges facing their lives. their communities and their nation.