[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 176 (Wednesday, November 8, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S16810]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     GREAT FALLS CHURCH DESECRATION

  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, last weekend, somebody in Great Falls, MT, 
spray painted satanic icons and racist slogans on the walls of the 
Mount Olive Christian Fellowship. The congregation of Mount Olive is 
mostly African-American, and they were the direct target of this 
perverted mind. But this attack really was on the whole community, and 
I am very proud to say that the whole community responded.
  I congratulate and thank all of the 200 citizens of Great Falls, MT, 
who came to the church on Monday to show their support for the Reverend 
Phillip Caldwell. Members of the congregation, city manager Lawton, our 
State Representative Deb Kottel, and many others turned out. I am proud 
of them, and like the vast majority of Montanans, I am with them in our 
State's fight against hate groups. On my next visit to Montana, I hope 
to attend services at Mount Olive.
  The desecration of Mount Olive is a sickening event and one which 
shows that as a State and a country, we still have a long way to go in 
our fight against hate. But its aftermath also shows us something else. 
Many Americans are concerned, and rightly so, about a decline of civic 
spirit, a growing indifference to our neighbors, and a general loss of 
moral values in our country.
  However, the rally this Monday showed us that our courage, our 
willingness to meet our responsibilities as citizens, and our basic 
decency are stronger than the pessimists admit.
  Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

                          ____________________