[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 63 (Wednesday, May 14, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E929]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING OUR PROTECTORS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JON CHRISTENSEN

                              of nebraska

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 14, 1997

  Mr. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in appreciation of police 
men and women across this country. This week the National Peace 
Officers' Memorial Service will be held on the west front of the U.S. 
Capitol. This memorial service is a tribute to peace officers who have 
put their lives on the line for the safety of our neighborhoods and 
communities. I wish we didn't have to have these memorials--I wish that 
we never had to mourn the loss of a single police officer. But sadly we 
do.
  Unfortunately, we seem to be losing more officers each year. In our 
Nation's capital, we have lost three officers in just a few months.
  Almost 2 years ago, my district lost a true hero. Jimmy Wilson Jr. 
was on duty with the Omaha Police Department and was shot while he was 
in his patrol car, still restrained by his seat belt, and in a position 
where he could not defend himself. Jimmy Wilson Jr. was killed in cold 
blood. He gave his life defending me, defending my family and friends, 
and defending all those who make Omaha their home. I honor him today 
and all of the other officers whose lives have been taken prematurely 
and without cause or warning.
  When will this senseless killing come to an end? It won't end until 
we start making the penalty fit the crime and get rid of the 
antipunishment mentality that exists.
  If I have learned anything over the past year in Congress, it's that 
there are two opposing views on crime in our country. There are those 
who believe that crime is not necessarily an issue of personal 
responsibility, but of environment. They tend to believe that the 
criminal lawyers, liberal jurists, and endless death penalty appeals 
have been a good development for our criminal justice system. They 
advocate rehabilitation, lenient sentences and legal loopholes, often 
in the name of compassion.
  Then there are those like myself--those who are sick and tired of 
criminals preying on our police officers, our families and children. 
We're tired of our kids being afraid to walk to school alone. We're 
tired of the illegal drugs that are poisoning our youth and eating away 
at their futures. We're tired of seeing our prisoners treated better 
than the working men and women in this country.
  If we are to rebuild the American dream, it is here where we must 
begin. Stone by stone, brick by brick--we must rebuild the foundation 
of this great Nation to ensure freedom from fear, freedom from drugs, 
and the opportunity to achieve the American dream.
  This isn't a battle that we can win overnight. But, we must begin to 
rebuild our foundation before it is too late. How many more senseless 
killings must occur before we realize that our current criminal justice 
system is not working; before we realize that crimes that go unpunished 
send a message of tolerance to criminals and do nothing to help our 
Nation rebuild its foundation; before we realize that leaving criminals 
in our community fails to protect our citizens and neighborhoods.
  We must act now. The sooner we take action the sooner we can make the 
law of the land actually mean something again.

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