25620 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS September 28, 1982 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS NATIONAL ITALIAN-AMERICAN The words given by Phillip Mazzei to his In the '60s and '70s began the stirrings of CONFERENCE REMARKS friend Thomas Jefferson went to the heart the Women's Movement. It was a natural of our Declaration of Independence: "All and inevitable outgrowth of several power­ men are created equal." Two centuries after ful factors: WWII which placed millions of HON. JAMES J. FLORIO the last echo of the last shot fired in that women in the work force; the post war boom OF NEW JERSEY revolution faded away, those words still which required a workforce far larger than IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES echo round this world. the male segment of our society alone could In the U.S., the power of that ideal of provide; the availability of higher education Tuesday, September 28, 1982 equality and freedom has inspired multiple without restrictions as to its end use; and • Mr. FLORIO. Mr. Speaker, as an and continuous revolutions. the commitment against discrimination, American of Italian heritage I would The most obvious was the struggle against made to Blacks, whose application to the like to recognize the Third Biennial slavery called the Civil War. But there have problem of discrimination against women been others, seemingly more prosaic, but re­ could hardly be denied. The ramifications of Conference of the National Italian sulting in enormous changes nevertheless. American Foundation, which was held this movement are no where near being Many have occurred within the lifetimes played out as everyone here is surely aware. earlier this month. The foundation of most of the people in this room. Indeed, Still another decision of the Supreme and the conference are dedicated to some are still underway. Court caused a veritable earthquake in the awareness of ethnic identities. But because they have been largely gradu­ political and social landscapes. In what may The Italian-American community, al and peaceful, and because our citizens have been its most momentous decision of which makes up the largest ethnic ma­ still remain largely isolated behind huge this century, the Court entered the "thick­ oceans, most have ben unable to contrast jority in New Jersey, plays a signifi­ these upheavQ.Ls with lifestyles elsewhere et" of legislative reapportionment and con­ cant role in New Jersey and national and thereby fully grasp their significance. gressional redistricting and breathed life affairs. The Third Biennial Confer­ Yet these revolutions have changed for­ into the phrase "one man, one vote". State ence of the National American Foun­ legislatures, the Congress, and their con­ ever the old static relationships of man to stituencies have not been the same since. dation was an unquestionably success­ society, just as dramatically as the Revolu­ And adjustments in political power parellel­ ful event. I would like to submit, for tion of '76 changed forever the relationship ing population shifts guarantee major the RECORD, the opening address to of Americans to the British crown. Let us examine some of these revolutions. changes every 10 years in the politics of the the Third Biennial Conference by its One was that of "rising expectations." It U.S. general chairman, Benjamin J. Pa­ was given force by the sacrifices demanded The late 60's, 70's, and into the 80's has lumbo, further explaining the role of in World War II. One of its early manifesta­ witnessed the breakdown of the traditional the conference and of Italian Ameri­ tions was the GI Bill of Rights. Until its political parties. Republicans and Demo­ cans in our society. passage higher education had been mostly crats still vie for victory, but the old auto­ The remarks follow: the preserve of the privileged. After the GI matic voting patterns have weakened, the number of independents has grown, turn­ OPENING ADDRESS OF BENJAMIN L. PALUMBO, Bill, millions whose education would have GENERAL CHAIRMAN OF THE THIRD BIENNI­ ended with high school, went on to colleges outs in elections have continued to decline, and universities. In doing so they created acceptable definitions of the terms Demo­ AL CONFERENCE OF THE NATIONAL ITALIAN crat and Republican appear elusive, and the AMERICAN FOUNDATION, SEPTEMBER 9, 1982 the climate which led to acceptance of the unprecedented notion of higher education rise of one-issue groups armed with money ITALIAN AMERICANS AND THE FUTURE OF for all capable of handling it. We have and manpower is steering the nation's polit­ AMERICAN DEMOCRACY become the most educated society in the ical system into unchartered waters. Welcome to the Third Biennial Confer­ world because this revolutionary idea While all this turmoil was taking place ence of the National Italian American Foun­ became the accepted norm. the great technological leap began. Epito­ dation. Another example was the advent of post mized by television-soon to pale by com­ First let me pay tribute to the Founda­ World War II prosperity. It put America on parison to the computer age-it spread rap­ tion's hardworking and dedicated staff for wheels; built vast highway networks; and idly across the land. Night after night it the splendid support which they have given opened huge tracts of land for development. beamed the same shows, the same news, and to this Conference. I would like them all to It lead to acceptance of the idea that the the same sports into every corner of Amer­ stand for a round of applause. American dream of a single family home ica, putting a veneer of homogenization on I would like also to thank my co-chairs with a car, or two, in the driveway, could what was thought by some to have been the Lucy Falcone and Bob DiPietro for their and should become reality. The pursuit of dawning of the age of the melting pot. magnificent efforts in this undertaking. All that dream made us the most mobile society But, ladies and gentlemen, something this could not have happened without them. the world has ever known, resulting in tu­ went awry; the melting pot didn't melt. You'll be hearing more from them later. multous mass migrations from South to It is true these revolutions had set people In this room are several hundred United North, farm to city, city to suburb, and now adrift, separating them from old familiar States citizens. United States citizens who East to West. ties and associations. But what was not wait­ have chosen to call themselves Italian­ In the early '50s, while this material revo­ Americans. ing for these countless millions was the lution was in progress, the Supreme Court warm embrace of an alternative American I would like to take a few moments to of the United States rightly struck down share with you my thoughts about why we culture. Instead, there was a void. And sud­ the laws segregating the races. denly the most frequently asked question of have chosen to do so. And also to deal with This was a momentous and overdue deci­ the significance of this conference. sion. Suddenly whites and blacks found the 70's was-"who am ?" To do that we must come face to face with their dialogue of the deaf was over and that The answer to this question was bewilder­ a reality about the United States. And that they had to know and understand each ing for many, easier for some. Blacks, for reality is that the United States was not other in the aftermath of this decision. example, answered by asserting their right merely born in revolution but continues to Black, White, Brown, Red, and Yellow to be both Black and American. And ethnics this day to be a revolutionary society. Americans are even now trying to sort out by asserting their right to be both ethnic What is meant by this? How does it affect their relations, with the end of this process and American. us? What obligations does it place on us? still not in sight. In these reactions was a powerful truth: Let us begin at the beginning. In the '60s, Angelo Roncalli, otherwise there is no agreement on the description of Two hundred and six years ago in Massa­ known as John :XXIII, dramatically the typical American. For there is no typical chusetts-"by the rude bridge that arched changed the outlook of the Catholic American. There are, quite simply, many the flood" -the "shot heard round the Church. In so doing, he altered the way kinds of Americans. world" was fired. Thus was begun the revo­ American Catholics relate to their fellow That truth gives us the answer to the lution from which was born our country. citizens of all persuasions; and vice versa. question of why we choose to describe our­ It was a revolution of blood and fire. But For most of us in this room that has had selves as Italian Americans. In a rootless so­ it was also one of ideas ... and ideals. special meaning. ciety, constantly on the move, filled with e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by the Member on the floor. September 28, 1982 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 25621 lonely people loosened from their moorings can and Italian struggles for independence in expertise for training firefighters striving to identify themselves, our declara­ and liberty, are what this Conference, and from all parts of the country in the tion of common heritage gives us a certain we, are all about. sense of self, and helps fill that void. Most Thankyou.e most modern techniques. In addition, important, it frees us from the frustrations it develops programs for all phases of of excessive introspection and allows us to firefighting and presents fire preven­ concentrate on the enormous problems IN APPRECIATION OF THE ALLE­ tion courses and seminars for some around us.