2010 – Most Philosophical 6th Grader in America :
Natalie Jacks, Texas .
Is the Pen Mightier than the Sword?
All through history people have questioned which is mightier, the pen or the sword. I would like to assert that the sword is mightier than the pen. History shows us that words alone are not enough. A few instances where this is true are: the Revolutionary War, World War II, and 9/11.
When talking about the pen, one might bring up the Declaration of Independence. When Britain did not accept the terms of this document, the Revolutionary War was started. In the end, Britain lost the war and was forced to accept the Declaration of Independence. Without the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence would just be idle words.
The events of 9/11 put a lot of fear in the hearts of many Americans on that tragic day. If terrorists wrote a note threatening the U.S., yes we would be scared, but not as scared as we were on the day the violence occurred. The attacks put a lot more fear in the hearts of Americans, as well as devastating the families who lost loved ones.
World War II was a big and hard war to fight. A document would not have made a difference in stopping Hitler and the Germans. The only way to stop them was to use physical force. It was extremely hard to stop them in this way, so imagine how hard it would have been using only a document.
In summary, words without actions are just idle talk. You have to have conviction to fight for what you believe. That is why the sword is mightier than the pen.
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