[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6180]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               MEMORIALIZING THE 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. Madam Speaker, I rise today to provide a voice for those 
too often silenced, the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered 
students who face verbal, nonverbal and physical harassment in our 
schools.

                              {time}  1015

  Today is the National Day of Silence; and across the country, 
students have taken a vow of silence to protest the discrimination and 
intolerance that gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people face on 
a daily basis. We must continue to promote the diversity that makes our 
country so rich, while denouncing stereotypes that make it harder for 
youths to accept themselves. Stereotypes also contribute to the 
harassment, prejudice, and discrimination that silence GLBT youth.
  For that reason, I am proud to sponsor H.R. 123, which memorializes 
the National Day of Silence.
  I would also like to highlight the new campaign from the Gay Lesbian 
Straight Education Network called TeachRespect.org.
  I would also like to thank Mat Friday and Bruce Carlsen, community 
members in my district who are working hard to make K-12 schools safe, 
and especially Stewart Rosenstein, who is a tireless advocate for the 
GLBT youth in Santa Cruz, California.
  I commend my colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), for 
introducing such important legislation. I urge my colleagues to be 
cosponsors.

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