[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 38 (Thursday, March 30, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CONGRATULATING CEASEFIRE NEW JERSEY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARGE ROUKEMA

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 30, 2000

  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank Ceasefire New Jersey for 
the important work this group has been doing to fight gun violence in 
our state.
  The Northern New Jersey chapter of Ceasefire New Jersey presented 
``Hear Our Voices,'' an evening of choral performances by students in 
grades one through 12, at the Mount Hebron School in Montclair, New 
Jersey, last weekend. A variety of awards for essays and artwork with 
gun-safety and anti-violence themes will be presented to elementary 
school and middle school children from throughout the Montclair School 
District. In addition, three Montclair High School students will 
receive the Ceasefire New Jersey Peacekeeper Award, a scholarship in 
recognition of their work to end gun violence and promote peace. First-
place winner Kelly McGuiness will receive a scholarship of $1,000, 
while runners up Mia Elizabeth Sifford and Samuel Winful will receive 
$300 each. The keynote speaker will be Donna Dees-Thomasen, organizer 
of the Million Mom March event to be held in Washington in May.
  Ceasefire New Jersey was founded as New Jersey Citizens to Stop Gun 
Violence in 1988 by the Rev. Jack Johnson, a Methodist minister 
outraged at the use of assault weapons in shooting deaths. The North 
Jersey chapter was established in 1995 by Montclair gun safety activist 
Dorothy McGann in response to the fatal shooting of four individuals at 
the Watchung Plaza Post Office in Montclair that March.
  In announcing the formation of the chapter, Mrs. McGann emphasized 
that the tragic shooting in quiet, small-town Montclair was proof that 
a shooting can happen anytime, anywhere. ``We can't say it can't happen 
here,'' she said. Subsequent shooting deaths in the area--along with 
the tragic shootings in schools across our nation--have strengthened 
the organizations' resolve. The group regularly holds commemorative 
evenings to remember victims of gun violence, works with local schools 
to spread word of the dangers of gun violence among our young people, 
cooperates with police agency and lobbies Washington and Trenton 
legislators.
  The theme that students entering this weekend's essay contest were 
asked to address is ``Making Our Schools a Model for Peace.'' I can 
think of no better subject for young people to address today. We have 
seen an alarming number of children dying from gun violence in recent 
years. The scenario of a troubled child taking a gun to school and 
shooting his classmates has occurred all too often.
  I applaud the work being done by Ceasefire New Jersey, both in our 
schools and in the community at large. All of the legislation that can 
be passed in Washington and the state legislatures combined cannot do 
as much to end gun violence as groups like this, which work at the 
grassroots level to change the way children think about guns. Our 
children are our most precious gifts and we cannot allow the tragedy of 
gun violence to continue.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to 
join me in thanking Ceasefire New Jersey for the work it has done, and 
in holding it up as an example that can be followed across our nation.

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