[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Page 20001]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                        TRIBUTE TO HOPE ANDERSON

 Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Hope 
Anderson. Hope is a constituent of mine and recently graduated as the 
valedictorian at Lake City High School in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Her 
valedictory address touched many of those who heard it, so I would like 
to take a minute of the Senate's time to enter the text of her speech 
into the Record.
       A pair of laughing teenage boys gunned down fourteen 
     students and one teacher in Littleton, Colorado a few weeks 
     ago. Many of you asked yourselves the question, ``How could 
     such an atrocity occur?'' Now I want you to ponder the 
     question, ``How could this NOT happen?''

       Our nation was founded upon moral principles, but its moral 
     fabric is being ripped apart. Our deviation from basic 
     ethical principles has corroded our very foundations as a 
     country. I believe it is a time to change: when our children 
     are not safe in school; when our society deems it more 
     important to be politically correct than morally correct; 
     when we don't give the needy a hand up and instead force our 
     government to give them a hand out; when the marriage vows 
     ``I do'' mean ``I might''; when the most dangerous place for 
     a baby is in its mother's womb; when political elections are 
     often a choice between the lesser of two evils; when there is 
     no such thing as absolute truth; and when In God We Trust is 
     engraved upon our currency but not on the hearts of the 
     people, that is when America needs to change. That time is 
     now.
       I believe that our nation is not in a hopeless downward 
     spiral. If we, as the class of 1999, take a stand and be 
     leaders, replacing the wrong with what is right, we can help 
     to turn the tide in our nation. We must have a vision to know 
     what we desire for our nation, courage to put it into action, 
     and discernment to make the decisions necessary. I have a 
     vision for America: where a person is judged by his character 
     and not the color of his skin; where our politicians are 
     honest and honorable; where our political system encourages 
     hard work; where our people are informed by a media that 
     tells both sides of the story; and where the sanctity of 
     human life is respected as the most fundamental moral value.
       As graduates, we are nearing a point in our lives where the 
     decision we make will determine the outcome of our lives. As 
     a nation, we are also nearing such a pivotal crossroads. We 
     can transform our society into what it can be, what it should 
     be, and what it will be if we take a stand as leaders to 
     return to our moral heritage and in the words of Winston 
     Churchill, ``Never give up, never give up, never give 
     up.''

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