Political Quotes

“over the past few years most of us in this Chamber have heard or delivered statements about the importance of revitalizing or reinvigorating this country's moral compass or its value system. We have heard statistics from educators, national organizations, judges, journalists, law enforcement personnel, and parents that the young people of this country simply do not recognize the fundamental precepts of right and wrong. I might add to my prepared remarks that the distinguished occupant of the chair, while he was chairing a commission, had a chapter on young people in our country, and I read it carefully and in fact talked with the distinguished Senator from West Virginia [Mr. Rockefeller] about it. The conclusions that were drawn obviously did not fall on deaf ears, because many of us now have learned that values or morality are very controversial. In fact, many do not think they ought to be discussed by public officials, and certainly it is very difficult to say what they are, at least from the standpoint of expecting unanimity of reception and people agreeing with your conclusions. Our desire not to offend our fellow citizens seems to have left us collectively speechless about the fundamental character of our society. In our legitimate desire not to impose our beliefs on others, we have fumbled and stumbled around that issue.”