[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 91 (Thursday, June 24, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1397]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1397]]


                     QUOTES FROM THE BOOK OF PEACE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL E. CAPUANO

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 24, 1999

  Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Louis David 
Brown. Louis was fifteen and a tenth grader in the fall of 1993. He 
dreamed about college and graduate school in aeronautical engineering. 
He dreamed about space travel and he worked in his community. On 
December 20, 1993, on his way to a meeting of Teens Against Gang 
Violence, he was shot dead, caught in the cross-fire of a gang fight.
  Louis's parents, Joseph and Clementina (Tina) Chery have coped 
heroically with their grief. They created in memory of their son, the 
Louis D. Brown Peace Institute. The Institute supports a variety of 
peace initiatives, including a literature-based high school curriculum 
and an elementary school arts program. Each year, high school essayists 
are chosen as Louis D. Brown Peace Fellows, honored for their writing 
and their community service.
  In Louis's memory, with thanks to the dedicated teachers who use and 
refine the curriculum, and with the deepest sympathy and respect for 
Joseph and Tina Chery, I have the honor to present excerpts from the 
writings of the Louis D. Brown Peace Fellows of 1998 (sic.):

       The person, who has peace in his or her heart, must be near 
     to God . . . peace also means forgiveness, thankfulness, and 
     patience.--Student: Mary Hanna, Grade 10, School: Health 
     Careers Academy, Teacher: Bethany Wood.
       We chase after peace, why does it run?
       Is it too busy chanting and having fun,
       Or is it worse, does it run away in fear
       Worried we'll try to destroy it, rip and tear
       Thinking that once we have it we'll get upset
       If it doesn't turn out to be just as we bet?--Student: 
     Meichelle (ADARKPOET) Ferguson, Grade: 12, School: Greater 
     Egleston Community High School, Teacher: Terri Coyle.
       Peace is the strength you have to fight the negativity.--
     Student: Johnnye Garcia, Grade: 9, School: Charlestown High, 
     Teacher: Julia Jenkins.
       We are all from the same source, we bleed the same color, 
     we breathe the same air, and we all share the same feature . 
     . the human heart.--Student: Trell Payne, Grade: 10, School: 
     West Roxbury High, Teacher: Daniel Jordan.
       Everyone [must] come together and make a change before it 
     is too late--Student: Suzanne Morson, Grade: 10, School: 
     Charlestown High, Teacher: Julia Jenkins.
       Peaceful Everlasting Actions Control Everything--Student: 
     Kimberly Baia, Grade: 10, School: Charlestown High, Teacher: 
     Julia Jenkins.
       . . . we will have peace when we all accept each other for 
     who we are and not for what we look like--Student: Silea 
     Williams, Grade: 10, School: Charlestown High, Teacher: Mrs. 
     Ogluike.
       Peace can be simply participating in an after school 
     program or caring for a younger brother or sister or simply 
     helping an elder person when in need. Anyone can do it.--
     Student: Andrea Stallings, Grade: 10, School: Jeremiah E. 
     Bruke, Teacher: Kelly Mathews.
       This Louis D. Brown Peace Curriculum gives me a wonderful 
     opportunity to express my feelings and thoughts to 
     everyone.--Student: Ricardo Brown, Grade: 10, School: West 
     Roxbury High, Teacher: Daniel Jordan.
       Start building a better living for the sake of our children 
     . . . Lead'em, feed'em knowledge and the words of wisdom.--
     Student: Thomas Hernandez, Grade: 12, School: Greater 
     Egleston Community High School, Teacher: Terri Coyle.
       I, as a person, promote peace by rejecting violence. I 
     don't fight, I settle my differences with people 
     nonviolently, and I help out in my neighborhood with young 
     children.--Student: Ciara Washington, Grade: 10, School: 
     Health Careers Academy at Dorchester High School, Teacher: 
     Bethany Wood.
       Sometimes they [teenagers] just need someone to love them, 
     to hang out with them, and just show them what's right and 
     what's wrong.--Student: Channell Burt, Grade: 10, School: 
     Jeremiah E. Burke High, Teacher: Warren Cutler.
       I would love to see a more peaceful world, and it could 
     happen if we talked more with love in our minds and hearts 
     instead of using threats and weapons.--Student: Chermion 
     Lawson, Grade: 12, School: Greater Egleston Community High 
     School, Teacher: Terri Coyle.
       I do not want my kids to grow up in a world where countries 
     are at war, family members are being killed or crippled and 
     every one is in tears. I want my kids to grow up in a world 
     where every body gets along with each other and helps each 
     other out, and where guns do not exist.--Student: Lissy Baez, 
     Grade: 11, School: West Roxbury High, Teacher: Daniel Jordan.
       The young teenagers today are surrounded by violence on 
     television, music, ideas and movies, as well as in school and 
     in the streets. Violence is almost becoming second nature to 
     us.--Student: Nina Abdillahi, Grade: 10, School: West Roxbury 
     High, Teacher: Daniel Jordan.
       If people knew how to cope with themselves, maybe instead 
     of hitting or killing someone they would learn how to be more 
     peaceful.--Student: Gilbert Perea, Grade: 10, School: West 
     Roxbury High, Teacher: Daniel Jordan.
       . . . before we start working on getting rid of the hatred 
     and violence in our streets and cities, and, hopefully the 
     world, we are going to need to have peace with ourselves and 
     our families.--Student: Sarita Manigat, Grade 10, School: 
     Health Careers Academy, Teacher: Bethany Wood.
       I believe unlocking the door towards peace is a long and 
     hard goal that no one race of people can achieve alone. We 
     all have to meet each other halfway.--Student: Jason R. 
     Walters, Grade 10, School: Health Careers Academy, Teacher: 
     Bethany Wood.
       I help make peace by keeping a positive attitude in front 
     of younger kids.--Student: Ezequiel Cardoso, Grade 10, 
     School: Jeremiah E. Burke School, Teacher: Warren Cutler.
       Peace cannot be taught or enforced if it is not practice . 
     . . peace can be the future we look forward to if children, 
     parents, teachers, policymakers, and all humankind take 
     action.--Student: Patricia Abdi, Grade 10, School: West 
     Roxbury High, Teacher: Daniel Jordan.
       I think that peace is a very important part of the life of 
     a community because it keeps it organized, it keeps your 
     neighborhood calm, quiet and makes it a better place to live 
     . . . To keep the peace we need good parents.--Student: Ebony 
     Williams, Grade 10, School: West Roxbury High, Teacher: 
     Daniel Jordan.
       . . . if you keep busy there's no room for thinking 
     violently.--Student: Adina Sutton, Grade 10, School: West 
     Roxbury High, Teacher: Daniel Jordan.
       I think that teaching kids about God will promote peace in 
     the community because the kids will be going to church every 
     Sunday instead of going somewhere else to get themselves into 
     trouble or even getting killed.--Student: Joliane Charlotin, 
     Grade 10, School: West Roxbury High, Teacher: Daniel Jordan.
       I . . . help many of my peers get involved in programs that 
     keeps them off the street. This is the way I promote peace.--
     Student: Raquel Pinto, Grade 10, School: West Roxbury High, 
     Teacher: Daniel Jordan.
       I tried to influence [children] by setting a good 
     example.--Student: Julia C. Austin, Grade 11, School: West 
     Roxbury High, Teacher: Daniel Jordan.
       I devoted all of my knowledge to each one of these children 
     to help them become a better person.--Student: Kevin 
     Stallings, Grade 10, School: West Roxbury High, Teacher: 
     Daniel Jordan.
       Instead of trying to see who is the jiggiest, who is the 
     hardest, and who is down with whom, we need to be down for 
     each other, unite as one and make and promote peace.--
     Student: Gracie White, Grade 12, School: Greater Egleston 
     Community High School, Teacher: Terri Coyle.
       . . . peace does begin with a simple friendship.--Student: 
     Jada Reid, Grade 10, School: Health Careers Academy, Teacher: 
     Bethany Wood.

     

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