    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
    [May 10, 1999]
    [Pages 733-734]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the White House Strategy Meeting on Children, Violence, and
    Responsibility
    May 10, 1999

    Bombing of Chinese Embassy in Belgrade

        Before I make my opening remarks, I would like to begin by saying a
    word about the tragic bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade. I have
    already expressed our apology and our condolences to President
    Jiang and to the Chinese people. And I have
    reaffirmed my commitment to strengthen our relationship with China.
        But I think it's very important to remember that this was an
    isolated, tragic event, while the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo, which has
    led to the killing of thousands of people and the relocation of hundreds
    of thousands, is a deliberate and systematic crime. Until NATO's simple
    conditions are met, therefore, the military campaign will continue.
        But again I want to say to the Chinese people and to the leaders of
    China, I apologize; I regret this. But I think it is very important to
    draw a clear distinction between a tragic mistake and a deliberate act
    of ethnic cleansing. And the United States will continue to make that
    distinction.

    White House Strategy Meeting

        Now, let me say as I look around this room today, I want to say on
    behalf of the Vice President and Mrs. Gore and Hillary and myself,
    first, we appreciate all of you coming. This is a very diverse and
    distinguished group of Americans. We have leaders of Congress from both
    parties here; leaders of the faith community; we have activists among
    parents and students and educators, and people in music and people in
    the entertainment communities; people who represent the gun
    manufacturers of our country. This is a truly impressive and diverse
    array of Americans.
        Obviously, we have asked you to come here to see what we can do
    together to give our children safer childhoods. The four of us, both
    individually and together, have worked on many of the matters that will
    be discussed here today for years. We have made particular efforts to
    give our children safe streets and safe schools.
        But I think that we, and the members of the Cabinet and the
    administration who are here, like all Americans, were profoundly
    affected by the events in Littleton, Colorado, coming as they did after
    so many tragic incidents in our schools last year. And we were
    determined to see what we could do to bring the American people
    together, to get beyond the divisions that often attend many of the
    subjects here, which is not to say that we shouldn't have a serious
    discussion today, and to try to move forward on something really big
    that can make a difference.
        Now, last Friday I announced, therefore, that we would launch a
    national campaign to prevent

    [[Page 734]]

    youth violence, a grassroots effort that would involve all Americans,
    from every community and all walks of life. I expect the ideas and
    recommendations generated here today in our discussion to lay the
    groundwork, the common groundwork for that campaign. We are not here to
    place blame but to shoulder responsibility.
        In the weeks to come, I will work with Congress to pass legislation
    that makes our schools and streets safer and keeps guns out of the wrong
    hands, because that's part of our responsibility. And again I want to
    say how very much I appreciate the representatives of the gun
    manufacturers for being here today and supporting some of the specific
    legislative proposals that have already been publicized.
        Today I'm also directing the Surgeon General to prepare the first report in more than a decade on youth
    violence and its causes. This report will infuse our efforts with new
    understanding and new urgency.
        Let me just briefly say that, with representatives of the
    manufacturers of guns today, I want to say to the press and to the
    public that we have found common grounds on some common sense measures:
    banning violent juveniles from buying guns, raising the age for handgun
    ownership from 18 to 21, closing the gun show loophole, holding reckless
    parents responsible for giving children access to guns, reducing illegal
    gun trafficking by helping law enforcement trace weapons used in crimes.
    Again, I commend the gun manufacturers here today for taking that kind
    of responsibility. Others have agreed to do their part.
        A few years ago, through the Vice President's leadership, we were able to put in place a voluntary
    rating system for television. Les Moonves, the
    head of CBS, and Bob Iger, the head of ABC, have
    led the way by putting their networks behind this effort. They are here
    today, and they went to some considerable trouble to change their
    schedules to do so, and I appreciate their presence.
        This year, half the new TV sets sold in America will contain the V-
    chip, which parents can use to protect their children from violent
    programming. Today the FCC is announcing a V-Chip Task Force to make
    sure that next year every new set contains the V-chip. And the Kaiser
    Family Foundation is announcing a massive new public education campaign
    to make sure parents know about it and know how to use it. Also,
    following this meeting, Kaiser and the Ad Council, also represented
    here, will produce a campaign of antiviolent ads called ``Talking With
    Kids About Tough Issues.''
        Last week the Vice President also
    announced a voluntary agreement by 95 percent of the Internet service
    providers to offer parents a new tool to assure that they are only one
    click away from the resources they need to protect their children. And I
    thank the representatives of the Internet for being here today.
        Let me also say that we know that profoundly important efforts are
    being made in our schools and our communities in efforts to involve
    parents in increasing their capacity to prevent their children from
    drifting into violence, to engage the early warning signs, to get the
    necessary counseling and mental health services. I know that Mrs.
    Gore and Hillary have both been heavily involved in a lot of these
    issues for a long time.
        And I want to say a special word of appreciation to the parents who
    are here, to the teachers who are here, and to the students who are
    here, because I believe that they may have more to say to us about what
    the rest of us should do than we can imagine.
        So to all of you, thank you for coming. Let's leave here today
    resolved to be, all of us, a part of this national campaign, and I want
    us to have a good conversation about where we go from here.
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:43 a.m. in the East Room at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to President Jiang Zemin of China.