[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 106 (Tuesday, September 12, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H7455-H7457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE BIRMINGHAM PLEDGE
Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
joint resolution (H.J. Res. 102) recognizing that the Birmingham Pledge
has made a significant contribution in fostering racial harmony and
reconciliation in the United States and around the world, and for other
purposes.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.J. Res. 102
Whereas Birmingham, Alabama, is an international symbol of
the racial strife in the United States in the 1950's and
1960's;
Whereas out of the crucible of Birmingham's role in the
civil rights movement of the 1950's and 1960's, a present-day
grassroots movement, embodied in the Birmingham Pledge, has
arisen to continue the effort to eliminate racial and ethnic
divisions in the United States and around the world;
Whereas the Birmingham Pledge, authored by Birmingham
attorney James E. Rotch, sponsored by the Community Affairs
Committee of Operation New Birmingham, and promoted by a
broad cross-section of the community, increases racial
harmony by helping individuals communicate in a positive way
concerning the Nation's diversity and by encouraging people
to make a commitment to racial harmony;
Whereas the Birmingham Pledge, signed by individuals as
evidence of their commitment to its message, reads as
follows:
``I believe that every person has worth as an individual.
``I believe that every person is entitled to dignity and
respect, regardless of race or color.
``I believe that every thought and every act of racial
prejudice is harmful; if it is in my thought or act, then it
is harmful to me as well as to others.
``Therefore, from this day forward I will strive daily to
eliminate racial prejudice from my thoughts and actions.
``I will discourage racial prejudice by others at every
opportunity.
``I will treat all people with dignity and respect; and I
will strive to honor this pledge, knowing that the world will
be a better place because of my effort.'';
Whereas more than 70,000 people have signed the Birmingham
Pledge, including the President, Members of the Congress,
State Governors, State legislators, mayors, county
commissioners, city council members, and other people around
the world;
Whereas the Birmingham Pledge has achieved national and
international recognition;
Whereas efforts to obtain signatories to the Birmingham
Pledge are being organized and conducted in communities
around the world;
Whereas every Birmingham Pledge signed and returned to
Birmingham is recorded at the Birmingham Civil Rights
Institute as a permanent testament to racial reconciliation,
peace, and harmony; and
Whereas the Birmingham Pledge, the motto for which is
``Sign It, Live It'', is a powerful tool to facilitate
dialogue on the Nation's diversity and the need for people to
take personal steps to achieve racial harmony and tolerance
in communities: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That--
(1) the Congress--
(A) recognizes that the pledge popularly known as the
Birmingham Pledge has made
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a significant contribution in fostering racial harmony and
reconciliation in the United States and around the world; and
(B) commends the people involved with the creation of the
Birmingham Pledge and signatories to the pledge for the steps
they are taking to make the Nation and the world a better
place for all people; and
(2) it is the sense of the Congress that a National
Birmingham Pledge Week should be established.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Alabama (Mr. Bachus) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus).
General Leave
Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H.J. Res. 102.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Alabama?
There was no objection.
Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this week Birmingham, Alabama, is hosting an MSNBC and
Newsweek Magazine National Conference on Race Relations. One of the
highlights of this conference is the Birmingham Pledge movement.
The Birmingham Pledge is a personal commitment to work to eliminate
racial division in America and around the world. Those who sign the
Pledge make a personal promise to treat all individuals with dignity
and respect. More than 70,000 people from every inhabited continent on
the globe have signed the Birmingham Pledge. Every signed Pledge is
returned to Birmingham and recorded at the Civil Rights Institute as a
permanent testament to racial reconciliation, peace and harmony.
Mr. Speaker, along with my colleague, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr.
Hilliard), both of us being natives of Birmingham, Alabama, we
introduced this resolution on June 14, 2000. This resolution has the
support of 107 cosponsors, a bipartisan group of Members of the House.
The resolution recognizes that personal efforts, the efforts of
individuals, do matter, and do make a difference in addressing racial
intolerance and do contribute significantly in fostering racial
harmony.
{time} 2100
As we speak, MSNBC is conducting a televised live town hall meeting
on race relations from the historic 16th Street Baptist Church in
Birmingham. Newsweek Magazine this week printed a special issue on
diversity in America to coincide with the Birmingham Summit.
The resolution before us recognizes that the Birmingham Pledge is
making a significant contribution in fostering racial harmony. It
commends those involved with the creation of the pledge, including Jim
Rotch, who authored the pledge, and those who have signed it. It
expresses the sense of Congress that a National Birmingham Pledge Week
should be established.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I think it is appropriate to commend the
gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Hilliard), with whom I have worked very
closely in the Congressional Black Caucus, and the gentleman from
Alabama (Mr. Bachus), with whom I have worked very closely on the House
Committee on the Judiciary on a number of measures.
This is a unique, ingenious way that continues the ability of America
to help recognize that racial prejudice is something that we still can
deal with in many creative, small ways. So House Joint Resolution 102
recognized that this ingenious notion, the Birmingham Pledge, can make
an important contribution in fostering and promoting racial equality.
It is a symbol of how far we have come and how far we have to go in the
struggle for civil rights equality for all Americans.
Because Birmingham, Alabama, occupies a unique and important place in
the history of civil rights in America, for these two Members from the
State of Alabama to come forward where we have had in the past the
images of police dogs, fire hoses, racial strife, Dr. King's letter
from a Birmingham jail, all makes it so important that from Alabama and
now from around the Nation, signatures are pouring in. I understand
that more than 60,000 have taken place already, and that President
Clinton and the First Lady have all been signatories.
So, Mr. Speaker, I think it is important as I conclude that if we
pledge our belief today that every thought and every act of racial
prejudice is harmful, then we should let our actions speak louder than
our words and pass a hate crimes legislation bill that has come from
the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time, and I ask unanimous
consent that the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Hilliard) be the manager
of this bill from this point forward.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Isakson). Is there objection to the
request of the gentleman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mr. HILLIARD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to call upon Congress to pass this resolution
recognizing the Birmingham Pledge. The Birmingham Pledge is an effort
of the Birmingham community to recognize the dignity and worth of every
individual and to share with the world our community's commitment to
eliminate racial prejudice in the lives of all people. It is a personal
daily commitment to remove prejudice from our own lives as well as the
lives of others and to treat all persons with respect.
The gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus) and I proposed this
resolution together, bringing to this Nation the rich heritage that we
represent in Birmingham, Alabama. I would say it has been in the center
of the struggle for American freedom. It was here that our citizens
fought nonviolently the violent, racist, hate-mongering police
commissioner Eugene ``Bull'' Connor and won. The remnants of that
racism has impacted our society for far too long. Now is the time to
change the social condition for all citizens and bring new life to the
American dream.
It was here in Birmingham, Alabama, 16 years later that Birmingham
elected its first black mayor who recently retired after 20 years of
leading our city from hate, racism, poverty, and unemployment into
becoming one of the leading citizens in America in human relations.
Birmingham has developed and sustained an economy which includes many
more people than ever before. We have one of the lowest unemployment
rates in the Nation. But it also has changed in terms of its human
relations factors, and it is a positive one. It is one that we wish to
share with all Americans.
Even with our great history, people in Birmingham forget how we got
where we are today; and because of that, the loss of our understanding
of this exodus is destructive. We need to find out where we have been.
We need to remember in order to realize where we must go.
This pledge can renew our memories and renew our commitment to a
world without the kind of hate which has, for so long, ripped out the
heart of our city and our Nation. I cannot tell my colleagues how
strongly I recommend this resolution to all of us to sign, and I call
upon all of us to support it today, by our votes; but I also ask each
one of my colleagues to seek signatures from their constituents and,
most importantly, to live the pledge.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
In considering this resolution, we should all keep in mind one thing:
we are not born with prejudice or bigotry. These are things that are
learned. In fact, psychologists call it learned behavior. By word or by
action, we teach our children daily. We teach them either to be
tolerant or to be intolerant, to have prejudice or bias against people
because of their race, or origin, or not to be. We teach them these
things many times even before they are old enough to choose for
themselves. We can teach our children to love, or we can teach our
children to hate. Intolerance is learned. Therefore, it can be
unlearned. The pledge can be a part of that process.
This is the message we will send to Americans today about race
relations. Each of us needs to take personal responsibility to conduct
ourselves in a
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way that will achieve greater racial harmony in our own communities. It
has been said that events in Birmingham during the early 1960s, and my
colleague referred to many of those, stirred the conscience of the
Nation and influenced the course of civil rights around the world.
I know of no city that has worked harder to overcome its missteps and
its mistakes than my native city, Birmingham. The Birmingham that has
emerged is one built upon a foundation of racial sensitivity and
strength and diversity. Today's Birmingham is dedicated not only to
preserving the history of its struggle, but, more importantly, to
ending racial intolerance, bigotry and prejudice, not only in
Birmingham, but around the world.
Mr. Speaker, by passing House Resolution 102, the House will show its
support for this commendable effort. In closing, I urge all of my
colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HILLIARD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I would like to recite the Birmingham Pledge:
I believe that every person has worth as an individual.
I believe that every person is entitled to dignity and our
respect, regardless of race or color.
I believe that every thought and every act of racial
prejudice is harmful; if it is my thought or act, then it is
harmful to me as well as to others.
Therefore, from this day forward I will strive daily to
eliminate racial prejudice from my thoughts and actions.
I will discourage racial prejudice by others at every
opportunity.
I will treat all people with dignity and respect; and I
will strive daily to honor this pledge, knowing that the
world will be a better place because of my effort.
Mr. Speaker, this is the Birmingham Pledge. I urge my colleagues to
sign it, to vote for it, and to live it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleague from Birmingham in
inviting all Members not only to support this resolution, but to
support this pledge and to live this pledge on a daily basis.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the joint resolution, H.J. Res. 102.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the joint resolution was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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