Remarks at the Kennedy Center Honors Reception December 7, 1997
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Administration of William J. Clinton, 1997 / Dec. 7 1995 goodness, where they all believe they are Remarks at the Kennedy Center children of God, where they all are animated Honors Reception to believe that they can have hope to live out their dreams. And this place symbolizes December 7, 1997 that. Wouldn't you like it if your city and Thank you very much. Ladies and gentle- your country worked the way this church men, tonight the stars shine over the White did? Wouldn't you like that? [Applause] House. Tonight we honor artists who in all And I'm not violating the first amendment seasons have lit up generations of our na- Laughter by saying that. [ ] This has nothing tional life. to do with the separation of church and state. Ezra Pound once said that artists are the This has to do with the values we all share. antennae of society, always probing, sensing, Most people who are not even Christians, guiding us through the terrain of the human who are Jewish people, who are Muslims, mind and spirit. I'm proud to salute five art- who are Buddhist, who are all the different ists whose sensitivity, vision, and talent have religions we have in our country today, they'd challenged our minds and made our spirits still like it if our country worked more the soar. way this church doesÐand often the way their houses of worship do. Especially since Edward Villella danced here in the East Room at the invitation of And so I say to you, it begins when we President and Mrs. Kennedy, the performing speak the truth to one another, when we feel arts have increasingly found a home in this, free to disagree, when we don't hide what the Nation's house. But the belief that arts we feelÐbut if you go on down in that chap- are vital to our democracy goes back to our ter, when we don't let the sun go down on very beginnings, to the first President to live our anger, when we are genuinely kind to in the White House, John Adams, who envi- one another, for we are members, one of an- sioned an America that would study not just other. Now, on Christmas, we celebrate the politics but painting, poetry, and music. birth of a child born in poverty, who never The ultimate worth of our Nation will got elected to anything, never had a nickel never be measured fully by the size of our to his name, and has more followers than any treasury or the might of our military but in- politician who ever lived for simply remind- stead in the endurance of our gifts to the ing us that we are children of God and that human spirit. Already, our films, our music, we are members, one of another. our plays, our dance have inspired perform- So let us go out of here resolved to keep ers and captured audiences around the globe. working together until every child is in a good Worldwide, they've spurred not only the school, until every family can be safe in their forces of creativity but also, and especially neighborhoods, until every grownup has a recently, the cause of freedom. The arts are place to go to work in the morning. And we'll now, to borrow a phrase from one of our all be better off when we are selfishly selfless, honorees, perhaps the strongest currents recognizing that we are members, one of an- blowing in the wind. other. Tonight we pay tribute to five men and Thank you, and God bless you. women who have spent their lives listening to their hearts and lifting ours, whose work NOTE: The President spoke at 11:50 a.m. In his and talent make them American originals. remarks, he referred to Rev. H. Beecher Hicks, It all began with the lookÐ[laughter]Ð Jr., senior minister, Metropolitan Baptist Church, and I can still hardly stand itÐ[laughter]Ð and his wife, Elizabeth; Mayor Marion S. Barry, a downward cast of the chin, a shy, yet sly Jr., of Washington, DC; Linda Cropp, chair, DC upward glance of the eye. The look captured City Council; Dr. H. Patrick Swygert, president, Howard University, and his wife, Sonja; poet Maya Bogey and made Lauren Bacall a legend. Angelou; David Du Bois, grandson of W.E.B. Du After seeing her for the first time in ``To Bois; and Sean Nalle and Ahjah Prom, children Have and Have Not,'' all America recognized who presented a book of children's letters to the that Lauren Bacall had it. The great James President. Agee wrote, ``She has cinema personality to VerDate 28-OCT-97 08:03 Dec 17, 1997 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 W:\DISC\P50DE4.009 p50de4 1996 Dec. 7 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1997 burn, something completely new to the boy in Arkansas and movies were my main screen.'' source of inspiration, Charlton Heston Bogey and Bacall gave us a series of classic showed me how to part the Red Sea, drive films: ``The Big Sleep,'' ``Dark Passage,'' ``Key a Roman chariot, save medieval SpainÐeven Largo.'' Then she showed us ``How To Marry after he was slainÐ[laughter]Ðand hold off a Millionaire,'' and established herself as a a siege for 55 days at Peking. In more than master of stylish comedy. She conquered 75 films, Charlton Heston has guided mil- Broadway in ``Cactus Flower,'' was discov- lions of movie lovers through nearly every ered all over again as a musical star in ``Ap- great era of Western civilization, bringing to plause,'' and won a second Tony Award for life a host of heroes, from Moses to Michel- ``Woman of the Year.'' Just last year, more angelo to Buffalo Bill. He's even played than half a century after her first film, she Democrats. [Laughter] But he was, to be fair, won rave reviews and an Oscar nomination selective; they were Thomas Jefferson and for ``The Mirror Has Two Faces.'' I'm grate- Andrew Jackson. [Laughter] ful that she took time out from being a leg- If the big screen didn't exist, they would end to campaign a little for me last year, too. have had to invent it for Charlton Heston. [Laughter] Tonight, on behalf of all Ameri- A film hero for and of the ages, he's won cans, I salute you, Lauren Bacall, as our an Oscar from the Academy, accolades from woman of the year and an actress for all time. his peers, admiration from his audiences. But As a young boy growing up in Minnesota, most of all, the characters he created, the Bob Dylan spent a lot of time in his room courage and integrity and commitment they writing poems. Then at the age of 14 he embody, remind all of us of the limitless pos- bought a guitar. With it, he would set his sibility of the human spirit. He has been and poems to music, striking the chords of Amer- always will be larger than life. ican history and infusing American popular The first song she ever performed in pub- music, from rock-and-roll to country, with lic was ``God Will Take Care of You.'' Well, new depth and emotion. With searing lyrics God was taking care of all us when he gave and unpredictable beats, he captured the us Jessye Norman's wondrous voice. From mood of a generation. Everything he sawÐ a church choir in Georgia to center stage at the pain, the promise, the yearning, the injus- the Met, Jessye Norman has brought joy to ticeÐturned to song. He probably had more music lovers and critics to their feet. Her impact on the people of my generation than voice has been called the greatest instrument any other creative artist. in the world. Her greatness, however, lies not His voice and lyrics haven't always been just in her sound but in her soul. She has easy on the ear, but throughout his career that rare gift for capturing in musical truths Bob Dylan has never aimed to please. He's of the human experience, truths that can disturbed the peace and discomforted the never be fully expressed in words alone. Hav- powerful. President Kennedy could easily ing brought new meaning to Mozart and have been talking about Bob Dylan when he Wagner, Berlioz, and Stravinsky, Jessye Nor- said that, ``If sometimes our great artists have man remains an American diva. Indeed, been most critical of our society, it is because when she sang ``The Star-Spangled Banner'' their concern for justice makes them aware at my Inauguration earlier this year, I that our Nation falls short of its highest po- thought the flag was buoyed by the waves tential.'' Like a rolling stone, Bob Dylan has of her voice. I must say, Jessye, you were kept moving forward, musically and spir- a tough act to follow. [Laughter] itually, challenging all of us to move forward After 40 albums, Grammy Awards, and the with him. Thank you, Bob Dylan, for a life- standing ovation of the entire world, she time of stirring the conscience of our Nation. stands at the pinnacle of her art. Jessye Nor- I think our next honoree would want me man once said she wasn't the kind of woman to acknowledge that I can't thank him for to walk into a room unnoticed. [Laughter] campaigning for me. [Laughter] Now, with And I can testify that that is true, having been that disclaimerÐ[laughter]ÐI do have a lot in many rooms with her and never failing to thank him for.