[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6126]
[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.)
  Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to give voice to those who are 
silent: the many youth in our high schools and middle schools who are 
afraid to speak out of their place in our society because they are gay, 
lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex or questioning their sexual 
identity.
  Today marks the 10th National Day of Silence in which we celebrate 
the diversity in our society, but acknowledge a deep-seated intolerance 
toward that diversity.
  In my district, several efforts are being made to turn the 
intolerance into tolerance. The Watsonville YMCA has added a group 
called Latinas y Lesbianas y Aliadas. It is one of the few programs in 
the Nation dedicated to reaching out to the Spanish-speaking community, 
which has not historically had access to such support systems. I hope 
this becomes a national movement.
  I am also proud to represent several Shoreline Middle School eighth 
graders who have been nominated for the Queer Youth Leadership Awards. 
These brave students have worked to end homophobia and discrimination, 
making their school or community a safer place for people of all walks 
of life. These students are joined by their families, but should not be 
alone in their efforts.
  For this reason, I join my colleague Eliot Engel in cosponsoring H. 
Con. Res. 86 which memorializes the National Day of Silence and 
encourages each State or local jurisdiction to adopt laws to prohibit 
discrimination and harassment against persons of alternative sexual 
orientation.

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