[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 114 (Thursday, August 5, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10372-S10373]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COMMENDING THE ``FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS: TAKE A STAND AGAINST VIOLENCE'' 
                                PROGRAM

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to draw my 
colleagues' attention to a program that, I think, deserves to be 
commended. It is called ``Fight for Your Rights: Take a Stand Against 
Violence.'' The purpose of the program is to give our nation's youth 
information and advice on how to cope with the epidemic of violence 
that is taking so many of their own.
  The Departments of Justice, and Education are participants in the 
campaign, but what I would like to draw my colleagues' attention to is 
the role of MTV music television and the Recording Industry Association 
of America.
  The most basic and profound responsibility that our culture--any 
culture--has, is raising its children. We are failing that 
responsibility, and the extent of our failure is being measured in the 
deaths, and injuries of our kids in the school yard and on the streets 
of our neighborhoods and communities.
  Our children are killing each other, and they are killing themselves.
  Primary responsibility lies with the family. As a country, we are not 
parenting our children. We are not adequately involving ourselves in 
our children's lives, the friends they hang out with, what they do with 
their time, the problems they are struggling with. This is our job, our 
paramount responsibility, and most unfortunately, we are failing. We 
must get our priorities straight, and that means putting our kids 
first. But, parents need help.
  This is an extraordinarily complex problem. However, at its core, is 
a collapse of the value shaping institutions of our society. Our public 
schools are restricted from teaching basic morals and values. Stresses 
on families, the most basic value building institution in our society, 
the demands of two income households, and the breakdown of the 
traditional family structure are undermining our ability to raise 
decent and moral children. The marginalizing of the critical role of 
religion, of

[[Page S10373]]

churches and synagogues, in our modern society contributions to a youth 
culture devoid of moral responsibility and accountability. All of these 
factors conspire to disconnect our children from humanity, and are 
turning some of them into killers.
  Our homes and our families--our children's minds, are being flooded 
by a tide of violence. This dehumanizing violence pervades our society: 
our movies depict graphic violence; our children are taught to kill and 
maim by interactive video games; the Internet, which holds such 
tremendous potential in so many ways, is tragically used by some to 
communicate unimaginable hatred, images and descriptions of violence, 
and ``how-to'' manuals on everything from bomb construction to drugs.
  With the pressures of this modern society, the emphasis on 
technology, the demand for performance, the fast pace of events, our 
children seem to be increasingly isolated from family and peers.
  If we are to turn this tide of youth violence, we must examine all of 
these factors together. We must develop a comprehensive understanding 
of how these factors interrelate to produce a child capable of the 
shocking violence unfolding in our streets and school yards.
  I have repeatedly joined various of my colleagues in efforts to call 
the entertainment industry to task for creating and marketing violent 
products to children. Most recently, I joined in many of my 
distinguished colleagues, prominent Americans, and concerned citizens 
in an ``Appeal to Hollywood,'' asking the leaders of the entertainment 
industry to adopt a voluntary code of conduct exercising restraint from 
marking violence and smut to our nation's youth. I have also introduced 
legislation requiring the Surgeon General to complete a comprehensive 
study to determine the effect of media violence on children. I joined 
Senator Lieberman in calling for a special Youth Violence Study 
Commission that will study all of the various complex factors that 
conspire to generate such youth violence as we have recently witnessed. 
Earlier this year, I also introduced the Youth Violence Prevention Act, 
which targeted the various illegal ways by which our nation's children 
are gaining access to guns. As I have stated, this is a complex 
problem, and we must press the issue on all fronts.
  For this reason, I wish to commend the efforts of MTV and the 
Recording Industry Association of America. The electronic media 
dominate much of our children's lives. They are the first generation of 
Americans to grow up entirely in a digital age. Much of what they see 
through the media is good. Some of it is both irresponsible and 
dangerous.
  The ``Take a Stand Against Violence'' campaign represents the 
positive potential of the television and music industry. It is a 
positive campaign that engages the various factors that contribute to 
youth violence, and most important, it does so in a language that young 
people understand. As I believe the entertainment industry should be 
held responsible when they peddle violence and smut to America's youth, 
I equally believe that the industry should be given credit for the many 
positive things they do.
  The epidemic of youth violence in our Nation is a complex challenge. 
It will only be solved if we all work together. Again, I urge all 
Americans to get involved in their kids' lives. Ask questions, listen 
to their fears and concerns, their hopes and their dreams.
  Again, I think we should commend entertainment industry leaders when 
they take positive steps to curb the tide of youth violence. In 
particular, I want to commend MTV and the Recording Industry of America 
for the ``Take a Stand Against Violence'' campaign. It represents a 
very positive step, and should serve as an example for others in the 
entertainment field.
  Mr. President, I ask that a summary of this program be inserted into 
the Record following my statement.
  There being no objection, the summary was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

          Fight for Your Rights: Take a Stand Against Violence

       MTV's Emmy Award-winning 1999 pro-social campaign ``Fight 
     for Your Rights: Take a Stand Against Violence'' gives young 
     people a voice in the national debate on violence and 
     provides them with tactics for reducing violence in their 
     communities. Fight for Your Rights involves special 
     programming, Public Service Announcements, grassroots events, 
     and News special reports.
       Both on air and off, MTV's campaign focuses on the three 
     types of violence that most affect its audience: Violence in 
     the Schools, Violence in the Streets (hate violence and gang 
     violence), and Sexual Violence. Through high profile 
     programming events, coverage on MTV News, thought-provoking 
     on-air promos, a 20 college campus tour, and local events 
     involving cable affiliates across the country, the campaign 
     provides ideas beyond curfews and school uniforms. Focusing 
     on solutions, such as peer mentoring, conflict resolution 
     programs, artistic responses to violence and youth advocacy 
     groups, Fight for Your Rights gives young people the tools 
     they need to take a stand against violence.
       ``Fight for Your Rights: Take a Stand Against Violence'' 
     programming includes:
       True Life: Warning Signs, an investigation of the 
     psychological factors that can cause a young person to turn 
     violent, produced in conjunction with the American 
     Psychological Association.
       Point Blank, a one-hour national debate on the issue of gun 
     control and the role guns play in the lives of young people.
       Scared Straight! 1999, MTV's update of the Oscar and Emmy 
     award-winning documentary of the same title.
       Rising Hate Crimes Among Youth, an examination of the 
     alarming increase in hate-related incidents.
       Unfilered: Violence from the Eyes of Youth, puts cameras in 
     the hands of 10-15 young people to document violence in their 
     lives.
       True Life: Matthew's Murder, takes viewers into the heart 
     of young America's shock and confusion about the death of 21-
     year old college student Matthew Shepard.
       Fight Back, a hard-hitting look at the thousands of young 
     women and men who are the victims of sexual abuse each year.
       Through partnerships with The US Departments of Justice and 
     Education, as well as the National Endowment for the Arts. 
     MTV developed a 24-page Action Guide/all-star CD that will be 
     distributed throughout the campaign. The CD contains music 
     and comments on the subject of violence from top recording 
     artists such as Lauryn Hill, Dave Matthews, Alanis 
     Morissette, and many others. The Guide outlines five actions 
     aimed at engaging young people in solutions to violence, as 
     well as providing alternative outlets to violence. One 
     million copies of the CD/Guide package will be given away to 
     MTV viewers via a special toll-free number promoted on MTV 
     during PSA's, programming and on-air promotions devoted 
     specifically to the topic of youth violence.
       The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) 
     graciously donated and manufactured the all-star CD which 
     also contains CD-ROM content focusing on conflict resolution 
     skills produced by the National Center for Conflict 
     Resolution Education.

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