[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 60 (Monday, May 16, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 16, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
               THE MISSING LINKS IN AN UNHEALTHY SOCIETY

 Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I rise today to share with my 
colleagues in the Senate a recent speech delivered by Clarence E. 
Hodges entitled ``The Missing Links in an Unhealthy Society.'' Mr. 
Hodges is currently president of Christian Record Services Inc., in 
Lincoln, NE. He also serves as chairman of the Human Rights Commission 
in Lincoln, and is a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State. I ask 
that this speech be printed in the Record.

       The United States of America, the great super power of the 
     world, is the most desired country of residence in the world. 
     At the same time, it has some of the most disturbing anti-
     social statistics. Why do citizens of every country look 
     forward to visiting, studying, and living in America? Why is 
     this country of prosperity and freedom plagued with problems 
     of crime, violence, low self-esteem, and under class?
       In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced his plans 
     for developing ``The Great Society''. The goals included the 
     elimination of poverty, illiteracy, illegal discrimination, 
     and the advancement of provisions for health, success, and 
     wealth for all Americans. Johnson's dream met a premature 
     death even before his premature retirement from the 
     Presidency.
       Today, the great society may well be called the sick 
     society. Our self-esteem is sick. Babies are giving birth to 
     babies. In some cities, more babies are born out of wedlock 
     than to married couples. Little boys are shooting little boys 
     with assault rifles. Gangs get their excitement from drive-by 
     shootings of innocent men, women, and children. One hundred 
     thousand children think it necessary to carry guns to school 
     each day. Parents are brutalizing their small children with 
     ten to twelve being killed each day at the hands of those 
     expected to protect them. In some cities, half of the 
     students entering the ninth grade each year drop out before 
     graduating from high school. Illegal drugs are easy to 
     acquire as potato chips and candy. Automobiles are stolen at 
     the rate of one every twenty seconds. Three hundred fifty 
     thousand children are put out of their homes each year, often 
     at the insistence of step-parent or mothers' boy friends. 
     Some as young as eight years of age live on the streets as 
     prostitutes earning enough for a couple of hamburgers and a 
     Coke each day. Yes, this is a sick society where the great 
     society is no longer a dream.
       The anti-family welfare system created more problems than 
     it solved. Reform may be too little too late.
       Where did we go wrong? What is the solution to these 
     problems? What is the prescription for this disease?
       Having served as Commissioner for the U.S. Administration 
     for Children, Youth and Families with responsibilities for 
     children and family programs and issues, I have seen the 
     extensive research. I have visited the children's hospitals 
     and seen the victims of abuse, neglect, substance abuse, and 
     preventable diseases. I have lectured at the great schools of 
     social work, listened to the philosophers and experts; 
     visited the prisons, community centers, pool halls, and 
     churches.
       The complete family must be returned to the home and 
     religion must be returned to the complete family.
       To deny children such equates to human rights violations. 
     It is more reasonable for a child to expect the protections 
     provided by an in-tact functioning family than for adult drug 
     addicts to be entitled to government housing and social 
     security payments. Children are also denied religious freedom 
     by ridicule. Religion, which gives stability and purpose to 
     society, has been ridiculed right out of important segments 
     of society. This is especially true in schools and other 
     activities involving children. Children are thus denied 
     religious freedom as guaranteed by Article 18 of the 
     Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted by 
     the United Nations in 1948. To ignore religion is bad enough 
     because religion is a historical part of the American and 
     world fabric. To ridicule religion through pseudo science and 
     uniformed logic and to detract from an in-tact functioning 
     family at tax payer expense is tantamount to a death-
     threatening assault on society and spitting in the collective 
     faces of those who value relationships with God, family, and 
     country.
       When compared to the rest of the world, America is still 
     the greatest. But how does America compare to her potential? 
     And if the current negative trends continue, how will she 
     compare to the rest of the world in the distant future?
       The challenge for America is to build on our greatness and 
     stop destroying the foundation stones that made us great! 
     ``The American Way'' does not allow for the imposition of 
     family and or religion on anyone. Neither does it allow for 
     the denial of same to anyone. Yet, denial by ridicule, where 
     children are involved, is as much denial as denial by 
     military might. The First Amendment of the Constitution not 
     only keeps government from participating in the establishment 
     of religion but keeps government from prohibiting the free 
     exercise thereof. Tax supported activities which ridicule 
     God, interfere with the free exercise of religion, especially 
     where children are involved.
       The impact of religion on the U.S. economy has never been 
     fully measured. Religion and religious institutions provide 
     millions of jobs. Church-operated social service agencies 
     save government agencies billions of tax dollars annually. 
     Let's revive the twin geese that laid the golden eggs. The 
     golden eggs they laid include the enhancement of self-esteem. 
     This enhanced self-esteem has a positive impact on our 
     individual and collective successes and on our individual and 
     national images. Let's encourage these twin institutions in 
     their efforts to save our society by saving our children by 
     saving our families. This will save America's place in the 
     world for the world.

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