This guest column was submitted by Elizabeth Koepke, president of the College Democrats.

I believe an individual deserves the freedom to live by the convictions of his or her own conscience, and that his or her freedom only ends when he or she infringes on the rights of another person, causing harm or the restriction of life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness. The U.S. government has a duty to protect these rights and prevent infringement, and should never impose a law that infringes on these conditions of freedom.

This is one of the core values of the Democratic Party.

I also believe in aiding my neighbor, by giving him food or medicine because Jesus taught me to do this. I do not consider whether or not my neighbor “deserves” my aid; I simply seek to know if he or she needs it and how he or she can access it. I don’t mind paying a little more in taxes if it means my neighbor is taken care of. More than 46.2 million Americans are in poverty. This means children are hungry, adults cannot afford simple, but life-saving medicines, and people my age cannot afford higher education.

It is common sense that the hungry and sick make less productive students and workers. Have you ever not eaten for two days and been sick and tried to go to work or ace a test? It is next to impossible; the human body does have its limits. I would like to believe that the Church could take care of everyone, but that is not a reality in this country. Because of this, the Democratic Party views it as the responsibility of the greater community to aid the hungry and sick, the poor and the uneducated.

I believe in the power of diplomacy in international relations. Military force is a necessary evil that should only be used in the most extreme of circumstances, after all diplomatic measures have been exhausted and according to international law military force is the only plausible course of action. The Democratic Party believes in this approach as one of its core values.

I believe in electing leaders who believe in these core values, like President Obama and Senator candidate Paul Sadler. I believe in the Democratic Party.