[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8658]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         INCREASE THE PEACE DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 19, 2000

  Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing an important 
resolution which urges the House of Representatives to support 
``Increase the Peace Day'' events throughout the country.
  On April 20, 2000, on the one-year anniversary of the tragedy at 
Columbine High School, students, teachers, parents, and community 
leaders from Challenger Middle School in Lake Los Angeles, California 
hosted an ``Increase the Peace Day''.
  The program featured the formation of a human peace sign and a 
presentation by a former skinhead who turned his life around and now 
works with the Simon Wiesenthal Center's Museum of Tolerance.
  The highlight of the day was when the 650 students of Challenger 
signed an ``Increase the Peace Pledge'' in order to avoid any similar 
acts of school violence. Among the promises in the Pledge were to find 
a peaceful solution to conflicts, to not hit another person, to not 
threaten another person, to report all rumors of violence to an adult, 
to celebrate diversity, and to seek help when feeling lonely or 
confused.
  I was proud to join the other supporters of ``Increase the Peace 
Day'' and be a part of this incredible event. I would like to take a 
moment to recognize the outstanding efforts of teacher Bruce Galler who 
came up with the original idea for ``Increase the Peace Day'' because 
he believes that something can be done.
  Bruce uses a quote by Edward Everett Hale on all literature to 
promote the event and I believe it illustrates what each of those 
students accomplished last month. The quote is as follows, ``I am only 
one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And 
I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.''
  That day, I promised to introduce this resolution in order to show 
that as one Member of Congress, I can do something to highlight this 
important event and encourage all Americans to reject anger and hate 
and instead to promote peace and community.
  I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution and to encourage 
their local communities to institute a similar program.

                          ____________________