[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 8956]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL DAY OF SILENCE

  (Mr. FARR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give voice to those who are 
silent: the many youth in our high schools who are afraid to speak of 
their place in our society because they are gay or lesbian, bisexual or 
transgender.
  Today marks the National Day of Silence in which we celebrate the 
diversity of our population, but mourn the population's ignorance and 
intolerance toward that diversity.
  I commend my colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), for 
introducing H. Con. Res. 86, which memorializes the National Day of 
Silence. This resolution encourages each State and local jurisdiction 
to adopt laws to prohibit discrimination and harassment against persons 
of alternative sexual orientation or gender identity. This is a goal I 
applaud and support.
  It is hard to believe that in a country dedicated to the principles 
of freedom and individual liberty that some persons still experience 
out-and-out harassment because they are not heterosexual. This is 
especially true of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender youth who 
literally fear for their safety at school and on the street, where they 
are subjected to violence, hatred and taunts.
  The National Day of Silence is a way to raise awareness of this issue 
and to work for the justice of those most vulnerable among us: our 
youth. I ask you all to support H. Con. Res. 86 and to support the 
National Day of Silence.

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