[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 67 (Tuesday, May 11, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H2963-H2964]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   WHITE HOUSE YOUTH VIOLENCE SUMMIT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Brady of Texas). Under a previous order 
of the House, the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier) is recognized 
for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I have taken out this time to make some 
comments about the horrendous tragedy

[[Page H2964]]

which shook this entire Nation when we saw two deranged young men go 
into the Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, and rampantly 
murder classmates, schoolmates of theirs.
  All of us have done a great deal of thinking about this over the past 
few weeks. We know that the White House held a conference just 
yesterday, a youth violence summit, during which many thoughts and 
recommendations were provided. But I think it is very important that as 
we look at this situation, the problem of violence in our schools, that 
we keep this in perspective.
  First, our thoughts and prayers continue to go to the families and 
friends of those who were victims and, of course, to the many young 
people who have heard of this around the country who have gotten very, 
very rattled and frightened because of the prospect of this happening 
again.
  But, again, I believe it is important for us to keep this situation 
in perspective. In fact, I am one who believes that the victims in this 
case are more representative of the young people of America today than 
these two deranged individuals.
  There are many people who believe that American culture has gone bad. 
Mr. Speaker, I do not believe that American culture has gone bad. It 
actually has gotten broadened. We have a broadened culture today.
  A quarter of a century ago, this country had four television 
networks: ABC, CBS, NBC, and the Public Broadcasting System. We could 
choose books from our local library or the corner book store, and that 
was about it. And we all know what it is that we have today: Two 
hundred channels on television. We have a million websites out there. 
And we can go to ``Amazon.com'' and choose from 4.7 million CDs or 
books.
  And so, as we approach the year 2000, we do not have a violent 
culture. What we have is a create-your-own culture. And it is mostly a 
very, very good create-your-own culture. But, obviously, with that 
broadened culture, at the extreme edges, it can be downright horrible.
  So before condemning America, first we should consider that, as I 
mentioned, that the child victims in Columbine are a lot more 
reflective of American culture, of American youth, than their child 
killers.
  They were terrific kids. Based on all the reports that we have 
gotten, they were creative, energetic, religious, and very involved in 
their community. Those are the kids we find in high school libraries 
across the country today.
  We also know, based on the figures we have seen, that American kids 
today are more religious, they volunteer more. And I am very proud 
that, in just a few weeks, I am going to be presenting for about the 
15th year Youth Volunteer Awards in Southern California to scores of 
young people in the San Gabriel Valley in California who have stepped 
up and volunteered in law enforcement and libraries and hospitals and a 
wide range of areas where community needs exist.
  We find that there are today fewer out-of-wedlock births, and 
students are less violent today than they were a decade ago. So I think 
that another tragedy of Columbine is that two mentally deranged 
individuals can cause us to question and look past all of the 
extraordinarily positive work of American parents and the positive work 
that has taken place in our communities. It is impossible to explain or 
in any way justify insanity, and that is exactly what we have witnessed 
here.

  More than anything, Mr. Speaker, we need to do a better job of 
identifying and helping young people who are deeply troubled. With this 
make-your-own culture to which I referred that is so broad, a hateful, 
sick person can in fact create an entire world of hate and evil for 
themselves. It is obvious that the answer is not for us to go back to 
four television networks, 10,000 books, and PAC Man. But the answer is 
for us to more successfully intervene in the lives of troubled youth 
who are spiraling into a world of violence.
  It seems to me that we need to recognize, Mr. Speaker, that there are 
solutions, not necessarily Federal governmental solutions, but we want 
to do what we can here. But there are solutions. Last week I met with 
the sheriff of Los Angeles County who is proposing that we move ahead 
and do everything possible to have boot camps for those kids who are 
taking guns into schools. And we need to prosecute those young people 
who take guns into schools.
  So those are just a couple of the steps. And I hope very much that we 
can recognize the positive things that are taking place there, as I 
know many of my colleagues will be presenting Youth Volunteer Awards 
throughout their districts in the coming weeks.

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