[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Page 28442]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                             RESPECT MONTH

 Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, both the State of Michigan and the 
City of Detroit have proclaimed the month of October ``Respect Month'' 
for the past decade and October 30th ``Respect Your Neighborhood Day''. 
These designations give us the opportunity to recognize and celebrate 
the many daily acts of service, that sometimes go unnoticed, but are so 
vital to binding our communities and nation together with harmony and 
unity. Over the last month, organizations and schools in Michigan took 
the opportunity to give young people a greater acceptance of the 
similarities and differences of others.
  The principle of respect is especially important in the aftermath of 
last school year's shootings. While our nation is focused on creating 
an atmosphere free from fear and violence, it is important to pause and 
reflect on our respect for one another. Respect is a valuable lesson 
for the schools who are struggling to repair the damage these horrific 
acts of violence have caused. In fact, in the last few weeks I have 
reported several incidences of gun violence which have devastated 
families and school communities, leaving many people wondering what we, 
as a nation, can do to prevent these tragedies, and how we can 
reinforce the rule of respect.
  I believe there are many things that we can do to make a difference. 
I have stated many times that one of the first things Congress can do 
is limit the easy access to firearms by our young people. I will 
continue to speak out about the need for strengthening our gun laws, 
but I also believe that there are other critical components of the 
complex puzzle of youth violence and one of them is respect. Devoting a 
month to respect provides an excellent avenue by which our young people 
can focus on the importance of honor, acceptance, and values.
  While this is not expected to end all violence, it is my hope that by 
continuing to implement the lessons of respect in our daily lives, we 
can, in fact, make a positive impact in neighborhoods, not only across 
Michigan, but across the country as well.

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