[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 160 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12539-S12540]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         REMARKS OF SARA LISTER

  Mr. COATS. Mr. President, on Tuesday of this week, our Nation 
celebrated Veterans Day. I had the pleasure of returning to Indiana and 
talking to some of our veterans and speaking to an important group 
about the meaning of Veterans Day and the contributions veterans have 
made to our country and their sacrifices. We honor Americans on that 
day, both men and women, who served in both peace and war, as watchmen 
and women on the wall of freedom. We honor them by remembering their 
heroism, passing stories of their character and courage from generation 
to generation.
  It is disappointing and extremely unfortunate that in this very same 
week the Assistant Secretary of the Army, Ms. Sara Lister, made some 
remarks to a group to whom she was speaking at Harvard, referring to 
members of the U.S. Marine Corps as ``extremists.'' I quote her. She 
says the Marines are ``extremists. Wherever you have extremists, you've 
got some risks of total disconnection with society. And that's a little 
dangerous.''
  Now, subsequently, Ms. Lister has penned a letter of apology to the 
Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Krulak, in which she says it's 
unfortunate that my remarks were taken out of context. It's unfortunate 
that they were misinterpreted.
  Now, all of us in the business of politics have had occasion to pick 
up the paper in the morning and seen our remarks taken out of context 
and be misinterpreted. So I appreciate that this sort of thing often 
takes place. I truly hope that in this case these remarks were taken 
out of context and that they were misinterpreted. I am concerned that 
they were not. I have asked for a tape or transcript of the 
presentation by Ms. Lister at the Harvard group so that I can 
understand the context. It is not really understandable or discernible 
at this particular point.
  I am disturbed that one of our top civilian appointees at the 
Pentagon could make such a statement. It is hard for me to construct 
any context in which the use of the word ``extremism,'' and the phrase 
a ``total disconnection between our society'' and the U.S. Marine Corps 
is appropriate. I don't understand in what context that could be 
presented that would explain the use of those remarks and the statement 
that this is a ``dangerous'' situation.
  And so I rise today to raise serious questions about the continued 
leadership of Ms. Lister as Assistant Secretary of the Army. By her 
remarks, she has offended not only the 174,000 active duty members of 
the Marine Corps but the 2.1 million Marine Corps veterans and, 
frankly, all Americans.
  The Marine Corps teaches truths and convictions which are becoming 
more rare in today's society, and it is the continuity of these values 
in the Marine Corps which has produced men and women of character and 
honor who are ready and willing to sacrifice their lives in defense of 
their country.
  I would commend to Ms. Lister a piece which appeared in the Sunday 
Parade magazine, probably in most Sunday papers across our country. It 
featured a very insightful story of recruits in the Marine Corps and 
what we can learn from the Marine Corps. The article correctly shows 
that the Marine Corps teaches and trains young people important values.
  If these values are extremism, then I suggest that is what we need 
more of in this country. Let me just quote a few things from the 
article.

       In a society that seems to have trouble transmitting 
     healthy values, the Marines stand out as a successful 
     institution that unabashedly teaches those values . . .

[[Page S12540]]

       For the first time in their lives, many encountered 
     absolute standards; tell the truth. Don't give up. Don't 
     whine. Look out for the group before you look out for 
     yourself. Always do your best . . . Judge others by their 
     actions, not their words or their race. . . Don't pursue 
     happiness; pursue excellence. Make a habit of that, and 
     you can have a fulfilling life.

       The recruits learned that money isn't the measure of a man; 
     that a person's real wealth is in his character.
       The recruits generally seemed to find race relations less 
     of an issue at boot camp than in the neighborhoods they'd 
     left behind.

  The author of the article goes on to say:
       If America were more like the Marines, argued a recruit 
     from New Jersey, there would be less crime, less racial 
     tension among people, because Marine Corps discipline is all 
     about brotherhood.
       With their emphasis on honor, courage and commitment, they 
     offer a powerful alternative to the loneliness and distrust 
     that seem so widespread, especially among our youth.

  Well, Mr. President, if those values are a disconnect from American 
society, then it is not the Marine Corps that is in deep trouble. It is 
American society that is in deep trouble. These are the values to which 
we should be aspiring. I think under the leadership of General Krulak--
and the tradition and the history of the Marines--the Marine Corps has 
demonstrated a continuing commitment to values to which we should all 
aspire.
  General Krulak responded to Ms. Lister's remarks--I will just briefly 
quote that--by saying that ``honor, courage and commitment are not 
extreme.''
  Mr. President, as I said, I hope that these comments were taken out 
of context. I hope that they were misinterpreted. Again, I cannot 
conceive of a context in which they would be considered as appropriate. 
The use of the term ``extremists'', the statement that the Marine Corps 
is disconnected from American society reflects, unfortunately, an 
attitude and a belief about the Marine Corps and perhaps about others 
in uniform that is inappropriate for an Assistant Secretary of Defense.
  I note that Ms. Lister earlier had announced that at some point she 
was going to retire from her position. Perhaps it wouldn't be too early 
for her to think about accelerating that retirement so that the 
position could be turned over to someone who is able to present his 
thoughts in a better context, in a way that will not be misinterpreted. 
Perhaps then we will not have this difficult explanation of why one of 
our most honorable branches of military service has been labeled in 
such a way.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  Mr. STEVENS addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska.

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