[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 145 (Friday, October 24, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2081]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   ANN'S CAMPAIGN FOR A SAFER AMERICA

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                          HON. NORMAN D. DICKS

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 23, 1997

  Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, perhaps one of the greatest nightmares that 
any family could experience is receiving a call in the middle of the 
night informing you that your daughter has been killed. Even worse to 
learn that she has been murdered by a random shooting clear across the 
country. That is the nightmare faced by Coleman and Jean Harris of 
Mount Vernon, VA, last spring when their daughter, Ann was murdered 
while visiting friends in Tacoma, WA. This bright and energetic honor 
student had a most promising future, having just gained early admission 
into Purdue University. While riding in a car on March 27, she was 
struck and killed by a bullet fired senselessly into the car by a 
joyriding group of young men. All too often these incidents of random 
violence are happening across America, representative of a society that 
is becoming more and more numb to the violence occurring on our 
streets. All of us know that something must be done to develop in our 
young kids a better sense of values and a more fundamental respect for 
human life. Getting guns out of the schools is critically important, 
but we must go further to address the value structure that results in 
such a cavalier attitude about life among many young people today.
  I am proud, Mr. Speaker, of the campaign that has been launched by 
the Harris family--Ann's Campaign for a Safer America. This effort 
represents a wonderful attempt by a grieving family to use the tragedy 
of Ann's death as the impetus for action to stop youth violence. The 
Harris family is speaking out in schools and in many communities to 
bring this message of understanding and respect for others to young 
kids. This is an incremental effort, Mr. Speaker, reaching out in small 
ways to kids who need this message. If it reaches 50, 100 or 1,000 
young people and helps them to care more for their fellow students, it 
will represent a very significant and meaningful accomplishment. If 
even one more tragedy such as Ann's senseless murder can be averted 
through the work of this campaign, it will be a remarkable success and 
a very important memorial to this very talented and inspiring young 
woman. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend Coleman and Jean Harris and 
express my appreciation for their desire to turn Ann's tragedy into a 
positive and constructive educational effort.

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