Justin Velarde

IB English HL

Wolfe Period 4

24 May, 2018

Integrity

The concept of integrity can be interpreted in many different ways. The typical definition

that you will hear is that “integrity is doing the right thing when nobody's watching”. Truthfully,

integrity is a concept that is meant to be interpreted. However, one way in which we can

consider integrity is within the context of a building. That is, structural integrity refers to “the

ability of a structure to support a designed load”. To understand this concept, I prefer to use a

subject that I am passionate about: the US Government. This is a complicated political system

that allows for the country to function in the same way that structural integrity allows a building

to stand.“Structure” is given by the Constitution which provides each branch of government with

power. The President would represent the “style” because the role is meant to provide a face

for the country and is often emblematic of greater cultural phenomena within the

country.“Cohesion” is caused by the checks and balances that keep each branch of the

government in check. “Strength” comes from voters that are critical in ensuring the structural

integrity of the democratic process. The “Durability” comes from the Supreme Court because the

longest lasting influences often come from this branch. The “Direction” of the country is decided

by congress which has the power to enact new laws and influence the course of the country.

Structure

The structure of the US government is decided by the constitution itself. The constitution

is the law in the United States. This is represented by both my academic and extracurricular

passions. Academically, I have long been interested in the subject of equal rights for all human
beings. The American Civil Rights movement of the 1960s was the subjected that I was most

fascinated with because it introduces a fight or equality driven by peace and nonviolent

resistance. Subjects such as these are an important motivation in my life that help provide a

basis for my personal ambitions. Furthermore, the teachers in my life from kindergarten up until

now have helped provide an intellectual foundation for me that provide me with the tools to

achieve my goals in the same way the constitution provides power to each branch of

government. Running, the main physical passion in my life, as provided me with a moral

foundation surrounded around hard work and determination. This is a large part of who I am

today and will inevitably be a crucial art of my future. I believe that personal experiences are the

true way in which to form a foundation in your life. My experiences have been the basis in

forming the moral foundation of my life and hence, provide direction for my future.

Style

The President represents the style of the US government because he or she must

represent the country in international affairs, serve as a role model to people within the country,

and make the most difficult decisions about the course of the power. The President’s

constitutional role is enforce the laws of the federal government. If I have a role within this

analogy, this would be it. At the end of the day, I am the one that has to make the tough

decisions during each challenge I face in my life. Furthermore, I have the role of deciding what

person I want to be and the ideals i want to represent. I also have the power of “enforcing the

law” in the sense that it is up to me to pursue my dreams and accomplish my goals. I try to

introduce my own spin on whatever I do and have gained a unique perspective on the world.

Cohesion
 The cohesion of the US Government comes from the checks and balances that accounts

for each respective branch of the US Government. Basically, the checks and balances prevent

each branch of government from becoming too powerful and therefore provide a sense of

completeness to the US Government. In my life, this can represented by my friends. They are

always there to keep me in check help me face each problem I face on a day-to-day basis.

Furthermore, my friends have brought completeness to my life by providing an endless supply

of laughs and happy memories. They are an important driving force in my life that constantly

hold me to the standards that I set for myself. In that sense, they help me grow and become a

much more well rounded person. Similar to the checks and balances of the US government, my

friends are a force that provide context to my ambitions and keep me on the track that I have set

for myself.

Strength

The strength of the US government comes from the voters themselves. Although this is

largely subjective, I feel this because well-informed voters are crucial in electing qualified

officials and allow the democratic process to function properly. In this way, the voters are truly

what protect the political system of my life. In my life, this is represented by my mom. She is

unquestionably the strongest person in my life and helps me function in many ways.

Furthermore, she protects me from the stressors of my life. She is always there to support me

and constantly provides me with important council. Anyone in our family would agree that she is

the strength protects everybody from the stressors of our lives and never thinks about herself.

This makes her an integral part of my life that gives me strength through the experiences of my

own life.
 Durability

The durability of the US Government comes from the Supreme Court because Justices

serve the longest terms and often rulings that have the longest effect on the course of the

country. In my life, Durability comes from my father. Like the Supreme Court, my father provides

me with the most important life. Furthermore, he is like the Supreme Court because I’m often

unable to learn from him at first. Like in the case of Brown v Board of Education, local

government first resisted the ruling, but over time were forced to accept it. Similarly, my father

will often provide me with advice that I may not agree with at first, but I eventually learn that he

was advice. Because of this, my father is the person that I look up to the most in my life and the

one that teaches me the most. Also, like the Supreme Court is always there to ensure that laws

being implemented are fair to the American people. My father fills a similar role in my life by

always looking out for me acting as one of my closest friends and confidants. Because of his

reliability, I know that I can always turn to him in times of trouble.

Direction

In the US government, congress provides direction by creating new laws that determine

the course of the country. Also, this is the largest branch with 535 members in the house and

senate. Congress creates an example for the rest country to follow and laws that are constantly

debated. Basically, congress allow for progress to take place. In my life, this is represented by

mys siblings. Being the youngest of four children in my family, I am able to learn from the

successes and failures of my siblings in my own life. Furthermore, my siblings are role models in

my life and I constantly turn to them for advice at various points in my life. In a way, I view my
siblings as trailblazers that have have paved a path for which I follow. Therefore. They play an

important role in the decisions I make and the direction that I follow.