Jessica Ahlquist

America needs heroes. We need bright, young people who are smart and courageous to lead our nation to a better future in which the promise of freedom is fulfilled. Jessica Ahlquist, a high school student from Rhode Island, is such a person. Ahlquist is an atheist who fought to have religion separated from the public high school she attends, and won, according to the U.K. Daily Mail. America needs more kids like her.

Ahlquist sought to have a banner taken down at her taxpayer-funded public high school. The banner displays a "school prayer." Ahlquist had the courage of her convictions and the law on her side.

Her courage won her coverage internationally, as evidenced by the story running in a British newspaper. It also got her an interview on CNN today. The interview showed a calm, reasonable and brave girl facing some very unpleasant things.

First of all, she has been receiving death threats, according to the CNN interview. She has faced down hordes of angry parents and students at school meetings who have been mean to the teenager. Keep in mind this mistreatment of a young girl came from parents defending a prayer asking them to treat others with kindness. Threats against her life came from people who supposedly follow the teachings of Jesus, who taught nonviolence.

The level of hypocrisy their actions demonstrate is staggering.

One of the worst offenders might be Peter Palumbo. This elected official, a state legislator, called the teenager "an evil little thing," according to ABC News. Maybe he is embarrassed; Ahlquist fought harder to uphold the laws Palumbo is sworn to protect harder than Palumbo did.

Ahlquist handles the situation with grace and style. In her interview she didn't even raise her voice. Her friends have turned Palumbo's words against him by co-opting them and selling "evil little thing" branded clothes.

Support for the teen has come from many sources, including a $40,000 scholarship, according to WPRI News. It takes great courage to stand up against injustice when you are a young, lone voice raised against the masses. Ahlquist has guts and the will to take action. She is a true American in the best sense of the word.