Interview on MTV's

836 Apr. 18 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1994 CBMs in Nicosia on February 17±18, 1994. bringing them closer to the people who can He characterized these talks as constructive, bring about a change. and praised the goodwill he found on both `Ènough is Enough'' is also the cry of a sides. The talks are continuing under Deputy generation of young people who, according Representative Feissel. to an MTV poll, specify violence as their Special Cyprus Coordinator Lamb con- number one concern, surpassing the econ- sulted on February 25, 1994, with Russian omy and job opportunity. Foreign Ministry officials in Moscow. These Ms. Soren. Despite the fact that violence consultations were in the context of our con- is young people's number one anxiety, the tinuing dialogue with the Russians on a vari- country's crime rate has actually gone down ety of international issues. He also met with in recent years. However, violent crime com- British Foreign Office representatives in mitted by young people has exploded. We London on February 28, as part of our rou- are losing a whole generation to crime, to tine, periodic discussions with the British. drugs, to lost hopes. These meetings with two representatives of Mr. President. the Permanent Members of the Security The President. Thank you, Tabitha and Council once again demonstrated the inter- Alison. Thank all of you for joining me, and national resolve to find a fair solution to the I want to thank MTV for giving me a chance Cyprus question. to keep my commitment to come back on There is currently a window of opportunity the show, to talk about something I care a that should not be allowed to close without lot about: the rising tide of violence in Amer- an agreement being reached on the CBMs. ica, especially among young people. They provide real benefits to both commu- As you heard, the crime rate overall in our nities, not least of which is that they can form the base from which the two parties could country has pretty well leveled off, but it's resume discussions on an overall settlement. still going up among young people. Young Sincerely, people are the principal perpetrators of violent crime; young people are also the prin- William J. Clinton cipal victims of violent crime. You may have seen the public service an- NOTE: Identical letters were sent to Thomas S. nouncement I did with a young teenager Foley, Speaker of the House of Representatives, from here in Washington, Alicia Brown. And and Claiborne Pell, Chairman of the Senate Com- on the day we taped this announcement and mittee on Foreign Relations. then the day we announced it, she was on her way to the funeral of her sixth friend who Interview on MTV's `Ènough is had been felled by gun violence. It's a ter- Enough'' Forum rible problem. April 19, 1994 I want to talk today about what we can do about it together. In Washington, we're Tabitha Soren. Welcome to MTV's debating a crime bill that I care a lot about, `Ènough is Enough'' Forum with the Presi- which will put more police officers on the dent of the United States, Bill Clinton. Join- street, working with young people in their ing the President is an audience of 200, 16- community; which will give a whole range to 20-year-olds from here in DC and all over of prevention programs that work a chance the country. Obviously, there are a lot of to work in every community, everything from issues on the President's mind today, includ- after-school programs to midnight basketball ing some hard decisions on the U.S. role in to jobs for young people. We are seeing that Bosnia. But we've invited him here to talk work in places, so that I know it will work about violence in America. if we can put it everywhere. Alison Steward. `Ènough is Enough'' is But I have to tell you, no matter what we a comprehensive campaign put forth by MTV do with the laws, we have to have a change to explore the subject of violence, giving in behavior and attitude and feeling among young people an outlet for their concerns and young people all across this country, in every VerDate 09-APR-98 14:59 Apr 16, 1998 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 C:\TERRI\P16AP4.019 INET03 Administration of William J. Clinton, 1994 / Apr. 19 837 community in the country. And maybe we lescents and they're going through the tough- can talk a little about that today, too. est times of life, so that they always know I met a young man about a week ago, that they matter. named Eddie Cutanda, from Boston, who The other thing we've got to do is to some- was working with the Boston police in their how get out of this sort of instant emergency community policing program. And he said, way we tend to look at life. I mean, we all before he met these two men, he hated po- have more information today, more access lice officers. But he wanted me to know and to information than any generation before us. he wanted the country to know that he did You can turn on the television and see 50 not represent a lost generation. He said of channels in a lot of the communities where all of you, he said, ``We're not a lost genera- you live. We've got a lot of information, but tion, but sometimes I think there are a lot we think everything happens right now. And of adults who'd like to lose us, and we can't the truth is, a lot of things take a long time let that happen.'' to unfold; a lot of the meaning of life takes So, today, maybe together we can figure a long time to develop. out what we can do about this awful problem And one of the things that I findÐto go and give you and your generation your future back to your comment about young gang back. members not expecting to live very longÐ Ms. Soren. Okay, Mr. President, let's get is that I find a lot of young people think the down to it. We've got our first question over future is what happens 30 minutes from now here. Tell us who you are and what your or 3 days from now, instead of what happens question for the President is. 5 or 10 or 15 years from now. And somehow, the adults in this countryÐwe have to find Teen Suicide a way to help young people think in a hopeful [A 17-year-old participant discussed the feel- way about 5 and 10 and 15 years from now ings of hopelessness and despair many people and understand that there are sacrifices and in her generation experience and asked what tough times and disappointments that never can be done to help young people understand go away in life. They never go away no matter how important their lives are.] how old you are and how much you get things The President. Well, first of all, you asked together. But if you can keep your eye on a good question. Maybe the question you the future, then suicide doesn't become an asked is the most important question. Suicide option because you know there can always among young people, as you probably know, be a better tomorrow. has doubled in the last 10 or 15 years. And So those are the two things I think we have it reflects a larger problem of millions of to do: Teach people they're the mostÐevery- young people who don't commit suicide. body needs to be the most important person I think it is rooted in part in the fact that in the world to somebody. And people need there are a lot of young folks who grow up to think of the future in terms of the real never feeling that they're the most important future, what happens years from now, not person in the world to somebody. I knowÐ what happens minutes or days from now. there were times in my childhood when I Ms. Soren. What's your question for the had a difficult childhood, but I always knew President? I was the most important person in the world Caning in Singapore to my mother and that somehow together we A participant discussed the sentencing of an would get through whatever we were going [ American student to be caned in Singapore through. With so many kids growing up in difficult and asked if a similar penal system that does family circumstances, in violent neighbor- not base itself on the strong belief in individ- hoods where there's so much destructive ual rights would be beneficial in the U.S. in things around, including drugs, my own opin- combating crime.] ion is that we have to really make an effort The President. Well, that's not where I to reach children when they're very young thought you were going with the question. but not to give up on them when they're ado- Good for you. VerDate 09-APR-98 14:59 Apr 16, 1998 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 C:\TERRI\P16AP4.019 INET03 838 Apr. 19 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1994 Ms. Soren. He's obviously talking about going to have weapon sweeps and more the caning in Singapore.

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