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John F. Kennedy Center Profiles in Courage Acceptance Speech

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John F. Kennedy Center Profiles in Courage Acceptance Speech REMA1KS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY BY GOVERNOR JIM FLORIO FROFJLES IN COURAGE AWARD MONDAY, MAY 24, 1993 MEMBERS OF THE PRESIDENT’S FAMILY, TRUSTEES OF THE JOHN F. KENNEDY LIBRARY FOUNDATION, GOVERNOR WEICKER, FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I AM DEEPLY HONORED TO RECEIVE TEllS AWARD. I ACCEPT IT ON J3EHALF OF ALL THOSE WHO BELIEVE, AS I DO, THAT DOING WHAT’S RIGHT CAN’T BE WRONG. FOR CHRISTh4AS THREE YEARS AGO MY CABINET GAVE ME A LEATHER-BOUND ORIGINAL EDITiON OF IQFILES IN COURAGE TO REPLACE MY OLD DOG-EARRED COPY. I WAS VERY TOUCHED AT THE TIME, JUST AS I AM TODAY. YET, AS SPECIAL AS THIS DAY IS FOR LUCINDA AND ME, I MUST TELL YOU, I LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER DAY -- WHEN PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO FOLLOW THE DICTATES OF THEIR CONSCIENCE ARE REGARDED NOT AS HEROES WORTHY OF AWARDS, BUT SIMPLY AS MEN AND WOMEN WORTHY OF THE OFFICES TO WHICH THEY ARE ENTRUSTED. PRESIDENT KENNEDY AND ROBERT KENNEDY WERE HEROES OF MINE. THEY HELPED INSPIRE ME TO CHOOSE PUBLIC SERVICE AS A CAREER. THEY TAUGHT US ALL TI-TAT HAVING PRINCIPLES IS IMPORTANT AND STICKING TO THEM IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT. THEY LED US AT A TIME WHEN POSSIBILITIES SEEMED ENDLESS; WHEN PRESIDENT KENNEDY IMPLORED US TO ASK NOT WHAT OUR COUNTRY COULD DO FOR US, HE WAS PREACHING THE VALUE OF RESPONSIBILITY. IF THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY GOVERNOR WEICKER AND ME ARE NOTEWORTHY, PERHAPS IT IS ONLY BECAUSE THEY FOLLOW AN ERA IN WHICH SO MANY, IN AND OUT OF GOVERNMENT, TURNED THEIR BACKS ON TI-TAT BEDROCK VALUE. WE AMERICANS ARE THE HEIRS OF TWO ENDURING IMAGES. ON ONE HAND IS THE RUGGED INDIVIDUALIST WITH TRUE GRIT WHO STAKES HIS CLAIM ON A PIECE OF GROUND AND MAKES HiS FORTUNE WHOLLY ON HIS OWN. ON THE OTHER HAND, IN SEEMING CONTRADICTION, ARE THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORKED TOGETHER TO CLEAR THE FIELDS, PLANT THE CROPS AND RAISE THE BARNS. IN RECENT YEARS WE’VE SEEN THOSE IMAGES BECOME POLARIZED. ‘ ONE SCJ—IOOL OF THOUGHT T TW I ‘T T 1T I Jj (N ‘1 -- AND THE OTHER ONE SAID ‘WET L TAKE CAPE OF YOU I’JO MATTEF I-lOW MUCH OR HOW LITTLE EFFORT YOU PUT FORTH.” BOTH WERE MISGUIDED. -2- BOTH FAILED TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS NOT COMMUNITY Q INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY THAT MAKES AMERICA GREAT. IT’S BOTH. WE NEED TO RESTORE THE ESSENTIAL BALANCE BETWEEN RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES, BETWEEN ENTITLEMENT AND DUTY, THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE CREED OF OUR POLITICAL FAITH. I DON’T BELIEVE IN CARRYING THOSE WHO CAN WALK; NEITHER DO I BELIEVE IN REFUSING A HAND TO THOSE WHO STUMBLE. I BELIEVE INSTEAD THAT ALL OF US MUST ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY -- FOR OURSELVES, OUR FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITIES. AND IF WE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE CHOSEN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE, WE MUST ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAKING DIFFICULT DECISIONS. WE DON’T GET TO CHOOSE THE TIMES IN WHICH WE LIVE, BUT WE DO GET THE CHANCE TO DETERMINE HOW WE RESPOND TO THOSE TIMES. WE CAN CONSIGN OUR CHILDREN TO INADEQUATE SCHOOLS, OR WE CAN CHOOSE TO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS BETTER. WE CAN STAND BY AND WATCH OUR ECONOMY SLOWLY CRUMBLE, OR WE CAN CHOOSE TO INVEST AGAIN IN OUR PEOPLE AND THEIR POTENTIAL. WE CAN COWER AT THE THREATS OF POWERFUL SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS WHO WOULD PUT THE DEADLIEST WEAPONS INTO THE HANDS OF CRIMINALS, OR WE CAN DARE TO BREAK THEIR GRIP AND TAKE BACK OUR DEMOCRACY. IT’S UP TO US. IN NEW JERSEY, WE’RE TRYING TO LIVE UP TO OUR RESPONSIBITJTY BY STANDING UP TO TI-IF GUN LOBBY ON BEHALF OF SAFETY AND SANITY, AND STANDING UP FOR THE RIGHT OF EVERY CHILD TO GET THE EDUCATION THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO LIVE UP TO THEIR BOLDEST DREAMS. YOU KNOW, TI-IF FIRST THING I LEARNED AS GOVERNOR IS THAT YOU CAN’T PLEASE EVERYBODY. THE SECOND THING I LEARNED IS, SOME DAYS, YOU CAN’T PLEASE ANYBODY. SO BE IT. CONFLICT IS INEVITABLE. IT’S THE PRICE WE PAY FOR CHANGE IN A DEMOCRACY. IF I’VE TAKEN STANDS THAT HAVE SOMETIMES UPSET SOME PEOPLE -- AND I HAVE -- IT’S NOT BECAUSE I HOLD THEiR OPINION IN CONTEMPT. IT IS BECAUSE, AS PRESIDENT KENNEDY WROTE TN PROFILES, I HAVE ‘FAITH IN PEOPLE’S ULTIMATE SENSE OP JUSTJCE, PATTI.. IN 9EIE AmL.TTY TO IT 11 T,’tT ‘I HONOR COTAE AND RPSPDT J :1\Ff’IT \T I I, I •T RUN THEY WILL ACT UNSELEI.SJ-J.L I T- Ti IIj T TT—1J. ‘I -3- AS GOVERNOR, I’VE SEEN THAT FAITH IN ACTION. AND I’VE HAD MY OWN FAITH STRENGTHENED BY IT. I’VE SEEN REAL COURAGE IN PARENTS WHO ARE WORKING TO BREAK THE CHAINS OF WELFARE DEPENDENCY AND GIVE THEJR CHILDREN A BETTER LIFE. I’VE SEEN COURAGE IN ENTREPRENUERS WHO ARE TAKING CHANCES AND CREATING JOBS DURING THE WORST RECESSION IN OUR LIFETIME. I’VE SEEN COURAGE IN TEACHERS WHO ARE INSPIRING CHILDREN TO LEARN AND TO BELIEVE THAT THE FUTURE CAN BE BETTER EVEN IN THE MIDST OF OPPRESSIVE POVERTY. AND I’VE SEEN IT IN THE MOTHER OF A YOUNG GIRL KILLED WITH AN ASSAULT WEAPON WHO STOOD UP TO THE NRA. HER SADNESS WAS SO OVERWHELMING SHE COULDN’T SPEAK; SHE JUST STOOD EMBRACING A PHOTOGRAPH OF HER MURDERED DAUGHTER. YET HER GRIEF AND HER COURAGE SAID MORE THAN I EVER COULD ABOUT THE HORROR OF GUN VIOLENCE, AND THE RESPONSIBILITY EACH OF US HAS TO END IT. COURAGE MAY BE BORN FROM THE PRINCIPLES AT THE CORE OF OUR BEING. BUT FOR ME, IT HAS BEEN NURTURED BY PEOPLE LIKE THOSE WHOM I HAVE JUST MENTIONED. AND SO, TO YOU, AND PARTICULARLY TO THEM, I SAY THANK YOU. [ . 1Frorio cited Florio to receive for gun I award V Kenned John F. Kennedy Profile n Courage Award in recogriltion of his efforts to EUGtY despite strong opposition from pass gun control legislation over the Trenton Buceau the powerful gun lobby. stiff oppositon of the gun lobby, it was Florio called the award “a ti-i- Stalled in the polls and/ rockd/ announced yesterday. bute to so many other men and I by a federal probe of a state bond The award is to be presented women of New Jersey who Monday, the 76th anniversary of Presi sale,GovernorFlorioreceivedan raised their voices against the election-year boost — not to dent Kennedy’s birth, at the John F. special interests.” Kennedy Library in Boston. Jacque mention $25,000 and a silver — winner Republicans dismissed the line Kennedy Onassis, Caroline and lantern as the John F. Kennedy Jr. and John F. award as political hooey. Sen. Edward Wednesday of the 1993 M. Kennedy are expected to attend. Kennedy Profile in Courage Mark Herr, executive director V Fborio was chosen for his leader control and of the state GOP, described the Award for his gun Kennedy Foundation as “a ship in the areas of gun control and ed education initiatives. ucation reform, according to the late Florio will Democratically dominated or- The award, which the award president’s daughter, Caroline. receive this month in Boston, ganization” and said disgrace to the former “By taking a strong stand against established by the John F. was a the rising tide of was president’s memory. weapons and violence Kennedy Library Foundation to in his state, Gov. Fborio became take//\It take courage to one of honor elected officials who doesn’t the first and few governors in America raise taxes,” he said. “Kennedy I “principled stands on difficult’- to defy the powerful national gun issues and risked the wrath cut taxes. He had true courage. lobby and its political forces and re their constituents.” Jim Florio has all the courage of sources,” Caroline Kennedy said. Florio raised public ire withi. CowarcIly Lion.” In a statement, Fborio said: months after taking office in Richard Miller, chairman of “Standing up for principles is some- 1990 by raising taxes $2.8 billion, the Coalition of New Jersey thing you do because it’s right. I’m saying during the campaign Sportsmen, which lobbied to re gratified that the work we’ve been try after ing to accomplish in no need to raise tax- peal the assault weapons ban, New Jersey is that he saw being honored in this way.” es. The new revenues partly also charged that Democrats schemed to get Fbi-b the award He added, “It is nice to be chosen went to increase state aid to ur- this because he is the only Democrat- for distinction, but the award is ban school districts. really a tribute to so many other men ic incumbent governor up for re Caroline Kennedy Schloss- and women of New Jersey, who raised berg, daughter of the slain presi- election. their voices against the special inter dent, said that Florio’s “far- But Shelley Sommer, a ests when the gun lobby tried to over reaching budget and tax reforms spokesman for the Kennedy Ii- ride sanity, and safety.” have restored educational qual- brary, denied politics played a; The Profile in Courage Award and fiscal stability in his role in the award. takes its name from the 1957 Pulitzer ii\ ity I state.” “I can guarantee you that that Prize-winning book written by John F. V \‘\\\ I She also lauded Florio for is not the case,” Sommer said. Kennedy when he was a senator from I \\\\, \‘ signing a state law three years “It is made behind closed doors Massachusetts, and honors people ago that bans assault weapons, by the committee.” who have demonstrated political cour age.
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