Bob Filner: “this coming Saturday, June 1, thousands of families, schools, churches, synagogues, and other organizations will gather…”

“this coming Saturday, June 1, thousands of families, schools, churches, synagogues, and other organizations will gather at the Lincoln Memorial for what is aptly being called the Stand for Children. Stand for Children is a national day of commitment to children that has been convened by the Children's Defense Fund and endorsed by more than 3,000 national, State, and local organizations. From my hometown of San Diego, CA, alone more than 120 people organized by the Children's Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego will be attending this event. The Stand for Children will address the critical issues facing America's children, including drugs, violence, and poverty. Ironically, children in America are also under attack by the very institution that should be protecting them from these evils, the U.S. Congress. This 104th Congress is waging a stand against children. The Republican majority, with the so-called pro-family agenda, has pretended to extend its protective hand toward America's youth, when in reality it has not given our children a fair shake. This majority has voted repeatedly to slash funding for children's programs, including education, student loans, child nutrition, health care for children, child protection services such as foster care, and aid for disabled children. This agenda threatens not only the education and well-being of our Nation's children, it puts the future of America at risk.”