[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Pages 23132-23133]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         HOLLYWOOD IN THE HILLS

  Mr. BYRD. Madam President, I have, on many occasions, spoken from 
this desk about the tendency of many in the entertainment industry to 
appeal to the least common denominator in our society in order to make 
the largest possible profit. Whether it be through the promotion of sex 
to young people or through the glamorization of violence, drug use, or 
other illicit behaviors, the entertainment industry has, too often and 
for far too long, popularized activities that promote negative and 
often dangerous behaviors.
  Until last week, that idea dominated my opinion of much of the 
entertainment industry--television, film, and video games. But a 
creative and intelligent film director, some very talented actors, and 
a large and dedicated crew showed me that not all of Hollywood takes 
aim at the most base elements of our society.
  On November 20--my 84th birthday--I was provided the opportunity to 
participate in the filming of the movie, ``Gods and Generals.'' This 
film is directed by Mr. Ronald Maxwell and is written as a prequel to 
the film ``Gettysburg,'' which Mr. Maxwell also directed. At Mr. 
Maxwell's invitation, I made my film debut, making a cameo appearance 
as General Paul J. Semmes, an adviser to General Robert E. Lee during 
the Civil War. Early in the morning on a western Maryland farm, I 
stepped out of my reality representing West Virginia in the Senate and 
into a small piece of the real-life history that gave birth to my 
State.
  I arrived at the set at Flook's Farm near Keedysville, MD, at 7:30 
a.m. and was met by Mr. Maxwell and by my nephew, William T. ``Tommy'' 
Sale. It had been years since I had seen Tommy. He was playing the part 
of a Confederate artillery gunner in the film. After some time, I was 
escorted to my trailer by Mr. Maxwell, where I changed from my 21st 
century business suit to my mid-19th century Confederate uniform. From 
there, I walked to the make-up trailer, where my white locks were 
highlighted with shades of grey and black, and my normally clean-shaven 
face was suddenly a well-rounded grey beard. I no longer looked like 
Robert C. Byrd. I had been transformed into Paul J. Semmes.
  We drove up to the film location on the top of a nearby hill. At the 
peak were two rows of cannons, several columns of Confederate Civil War 
reenactors, including my nephew, and a tent that was to serve as the 
``Telegraph Hill'' headquarters of General Lee. Under this tent were 
gathered some of the top military leaders of the Confederacy--Robert E. 
Lee, played by Robert Duvall, A.P. Hill, William Sanderson, J.E.B. 
Stuart, Joseph Fuqua, James Longstreet, Bruce Boxleitner, George 
Pickett, Billy Campbell, Thomas J. ``Stonewall'' Jackson, Stephen Lang, 
John Bell Hood, Patrick Gorman, and others. Scene 158--a little more 
than 3 minutes of film in which General Lee and his military advisors 
plan the Battle of Fredericksburg--took several hours to complete. The 
director, cast, and crew were not interested in speed; they wanted 
quality and were committed to historical accuracy.
  After a few hours of rehearsing and filming, we broke for lunch. It 
was a delicious meal and the company of such talented professionals 
made it memorable. For instance, not only are these men portraying 
Confederate generals, they also can talk at great detail about military 
history, tactics, and lessons. They can speak with certainty about the 
Civil War--its causes, its terrible loss of life, and the aftermath. 
They can regale one with stories of the period and the people. They are 
not simply reciting words on a page; rather, they are bringing to life 
a period of American history that ended an inhuman practice and 
solidified our future as one nation. At the conclusion of this lunch, 
they surprised me with a birthday cake and serenade, and then called on 
me to say a few words. I was touched. I rose to my feet and recited a 
few lines from memory that I thought appropriate.

     Fame is a vapor;
     Popularity, an accident;
     Riches take wings;
     Those who cheer today may curse tomorrow;
     Only one thing endures: Character!

  Then I told those of the cast and crew, ``You have it! You have that 
character.''
  After lunch, we had several more hours of rehearsing and filming. 
Finally, as the sun was disappearing behind the mountains in the 
distance, we

[[Page 23133]]

completed our work and called it a day. My beard and uniform were 
removed. I changed back into my business suit, and re-entered the 21st 
century. And while I was able to return to my wife and my home for the 
evening, the cast and crew retired to nearby hotels and started 
preparations for the next day's filming, which would start with the 
first light of the morning sun.
  Many have asked me why I would take the time to play this role in a 
film, especially considering that I do not attend many movies. The 
answer is simple. I have long sought to promote the teaching and 
understanding of our Nation's history. I have helped to create Federal 
initiatives that focus on American history. I have talked countless 
times about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, 
Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, the Founding Fathers, the 
Constitutional Framers, Nathan Hale, Abraham Lincoln, and other true 
American heroes. I try to encourage young people to learn about these 
great figures of our country's past. I urge students to read, to visit 
historical sites, and to soak up as much knowledge as they can. This 
film allowed me the opportunity to help bring American history to life, 
to spring it from the pages of history books into the flickering images 
of the movie screen. In a small way, through this role, I am continuing 
to promote the understanding of our Nation's history. I thank Mr. 
Maxwell and the other actors for giving me such an opportunity.
  In the days since my cameo appearance as General Semmes, I have 
reflected on our Nation's experiences during the Civil War and what 
lessons we can draw from our past during the current conflict at home 
and overseas. I worry about the men and women of our Armed Forces who 
are engaged in action in Afghanistan. I am concerned about our lack of 
preparedness to prevent further terrorist attacks from occurring on our 
home soil, and to respond should, God forbid, another tragedy be 
inflicted upon our shores. I wonder what kind of world we will leave 
for my two great-granddaughters, Caroline Byrd Fatemi and Kathryn James 
Fatemi. I hope that those of us in positions of leadership can have the 
same strength of character and dedication to our country as the 
Nation's leaders exemplified during the Civil War. I pray that the 
American people have the fortitude, the willingness to sacrifice, and 
the patience that will no doubt be necessary during what I continue to 
believe may be a long battle against terrorism. At the same time, it is 
clear that the American people will need steadfastness and 
determination to move forward from the September 11 tragedies. I am 
thankful that we live in a country that can confront a crisis with 
strength and moral certainty without abandoning the very principles and 
values that we hold most dear.
  The final words in scene 158 of ``Gods and Generals'' come from 
General Lee. After hearing from his advisors about the preparations and 
planning for the upcoming battle, General Lee commends them and says, 
``The rest is in God's Hands.'' We can say the same today. We are 
making preparations and planning for the future. The rest is in God's 
Hands.

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