At the recent policy summit organized by the National Council on Disability (April 27-29 in Dallas, Texas), Justin Dart delivered a keynote address that is acquiring regard as a major contemporary speech in the disability rights movement. For good reason, he has been called the Martin Luther King of our movement. With his permission, I am posting the speech on the Internet. Jamal Mazrui National Council on Disability Email: 74444.1076@compuserve.com ---------- Remarks by Justin Dart, National Council On Disability Policy Summit, Dallas, April 27, 1996 OUR MOVEMENT, OUR CULTURE STANDS AT AN HISTORIC CROSSROADS. ANGRY ABOUT A RUNAWAY NATIONAL DEBT AND OTHER GROWING PAINS OF DEMOCRACY, WELL MEANING AMERICANS ARE TEMPTED BY A POLITICS OF BLAME AND RETREAT. THE ADA AND THE IDEA ARE UNDER ATTACK. THE PUBLIC SERVICES THAT EMPOWER PEOPLE WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES ARE UNDER ATTACK. OUR VERY RIGHT TO LIVE IS UNDER ATTACK. DEMOCRACY ITSELF IS UNDER ATTACK. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, SCIENCE AND DEMOCRACY OFFER A GOLDEN AGE OF HUMAN CULTURE IN THE 21ST CENTURY, IF WE, AS A PEOPLE HAVE THE COURAGE TO ACT. FRUSTRATED BY A DREAM SO CLOSE, AND YET SO FAR, AMERICANS CRY OUT FOR A VISION BASED ON SHARED VALUES, COMMON SENSE AND A RECORD OF PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS. YOU HAVE CREATED THAT RECORD, THAT VISION. I PROPOSE A REVOLUTION OF EMPOWERMENT. A REVOLUTION THAT WILL EMPOWER EVERY 21ST CENTURY AMERICAN TO LIVE HIS OR HER GOD GIVEN POTENTIAL FOR SELF-DETERMINATION, PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE. I PROPOSE A NEW VISION OF FREE ENTERPRISE - FREE ENTERPRISE THAT SYSTEMATICALLY INCLUDES ALL, IN ITS PROCESS, IN ITS FRUITS. I CONGRATULATE MARCA BRISTO, AUDREY MCCRIMMON AND ALL THE MEMBERS AND STAFF OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL. AT A TIME WHEN OTHERS ARE RETREATING OR DEFENDING, MARCA IS CALLING US FORWARD, TO CREATE DISABILITY POLICY THAT FULFILLS THE AMERICAN DREAM. HOW DO WE APPROACH OUR TASK? AN INITIAL THOUGHT. COMMON WISDOM: ACCEPT POLITICAL REALITY. DON'T SUGGEST VISIONARY CHANGES. YOU MIGHT BE ACCUSED OF RADICALISM. YOU MIGHT NOT GET ANYTHING. DON'T ROCK THE BOAT. NO. IF YOU HAVE NO VISION OF YOUR DESTINATION, HOW IN THE WORLD ARE YOU GOING TO GET THERE? FEAR OF ROCKING THE BOAT HAS KILLED GREAT COMPANIES AND GREAT CULTURES. THOMAS JEFFERSON, THOMAS EDISON, ED ROBERTS, ALL THE PIONEERS OF 504, INDEPENDENT LIVING, IDEA AND THE ADA WERE RADICALS WHO ROCKED THE BOAT TO VICTORY. PRACTICAL POLITICS, OF COURSE. PRACTICAL FIRST STEPS, OF COURSE. TRANSCENDING VISION, ABSOLUTELY. BEFORE WE CREATE THE POLICY, WE'VE GOT TO DEFINE THE PROBLEM. AND THE POTENTIAL. WHAT IS AMERICA'S PROBLEM? THE POLITICIANS OF RETREAT SAY SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT HASN'T WORKED. THEY SAY GO BACK TO THE GOOD OLD DAYS. THEY SAY PASS SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO THE STATES AND CITIES, TO THE BUSINESSES, THE CHARITIES AND THE FAMILIES. THEY SAY THE MARKET PLACE WILL PROVIDE RIGHTS, SERVICES AND PROSPERITY. THEY SAY ADA, IDEA, MAINSTREAMING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IS TOO EXPENSIVE, THEY SAY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE A SMALL MINORITY OF TRAGIC VICTIMS THAT CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF THROUGH MINIMAL WELFARE AND CHARITY. WE SAY NO! OUR VISION: SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT IS THE HEART, THE SOUL, THE SUCCESS OF AMERICA. WE FOUNDED A NEW NATION ON A REVOLUTIONARY NEW PRINCIPLE - ALL PEOPLE ARE CREATED EQUAL - EACH HUMAN LIFE IS SACRED. ALL PEOPLE ARE ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS...LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, THAT TO SECURE THESE RIGHTS GOVERNMENTS ARE INSTITUTED AMONG MEN. WITH GOVERNMENT PROTECTING, EMPOWERING WAVE AFTER WAVE OF OPPRESSED PEOPLE, AMERICA PRODUCED THE GREATEST PROSPERITY, THE GREATEST QUALITY OF LIFE IN HUMAN HISTORY. WHEN PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE EMPOWERED AMERICA WILL BE ENRICHED AGAIN. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT. AMERICA'S PROBLEMS WITH DEBT, POVERTY, HOSTILITY, CRIME, THE FAMILY, ARE THE NATURAL GROWING PAINS OF OUR ASTOUNDING SUCCESS. BUT HOWEVER DESERVING THEY MAY BE, ARE NOT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AFTER ALL A TRAGIC MINORITY THAT IS ONLY MARGINALLY RELEVANT TO THE MAINSTREAM OF CULTURE? THIS MONSTROUS FALLACY IS THE FOUNDATION OF MOST BARRIERS. WE ARE NOT A TRAGIC MINORITY. WE ARE A MAGNIFICENT, TRIUMPHANT MAJORITY. VISION: SCIENCE AND DEMOCRACY HAVE CREATED A NEW HUMAN. THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS WILL TRIUMPH OVER DEATH TO LIVE WITH A DISABILITY AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIVES. EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN FAMILY WILL EXPERIENCE DISABILITY. DISABILITY IS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE NEW HUMAN. POLICY THAT DOES NOT MEET THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES DOES NOT MEET THE NEEDS OF ANYONE. VISION: SCIENCE GIVES ALL THE NEW HUMANS, WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES, A NEW POTENTIAL TO BE A HUNDRED TIMES MORE PRODUCTIVE, TO LIVE IMMEASURABLY BETTER THAN OUR STRONGEST, SMARTEST, RICHEST ANCESTORS OF ONLY 200 YEARS AGO. BUT WE ARE ALLOWING OLD ATTITUDES, OLD SYSTEMS TO LIMIT THIS MAGNIFICENT POTENTIAL. VISION: AMERICA'S TASK NOW IS NOT TO GO BACK, NOT TO DEFEND THE ADOLESCENT STATUS QUO. OUR TASK IS TO GO VIGOROUSLY FORWARD, TO FOCUS FULL THE FORCE OF SCIENCE AND FREE ENTERPRISE ON CREATING A NEW CULTURE THAT WILL ENABLE THE NEW HUMANS TO LIVE THEIR NEW POTENTIAL. WE MUST LEARN THE LESSON OF DEMOCRACY IN EVERY NATION: SUCCESS HAS RESULTED NOT FROM AN UNBRIDLED FREE MARKET, NOT FROM WELL MEANING SOCIALISM, BUT FROM GOVERNMENT PROMOTING AND PROTECTING THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL TO EXPLOIT THE POWER OF FREE ENTERPRISE AND SCIENCE, TO PRODUCE AND TO LIVE THE GOOD LIFE. WE MUST ELIMINATE THE RESIDUE OF PRE-SCIENCE, PRE-DEMOCRATIC PATERNALISTIC CULTURE THAT BLOCKS PROGRESS, AND COMPLETE THE CULTURE OF EMPOWERMENT. EMPOWERMENT IS WHEN WE SAY NO TO THE PRIMITIVE ILLUSION THAT SOCIETY, GOVERNMENT, THE FREE MARKET, THE PUBLIC MEDIA ARE SOME SORT OF PATERNALISTIC SUPERGODS THAT CAN GIVE US TRUTH, EQUALITY, AND PROSPERITY. EMPOWERMENT IS WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THAT SOCIETY IS NOTHING MORE THAN WHAT WE AS INDIVIDUALS THINK AND DO EVERY DAY. WE ARE SOCIETY. ONLY WHEN WE GOVERN OURSELVES IS THERE GOVERNMENT. ONLY WHEN WE PRODUCE IS THERE PRODUCTION. THE LEGITIMATE PURPOSE OF SOCIETY AND ITS GOVERNMENTS, THEREFORE, IS NOT TO GOVERN PEOPLE AND TO PROVIDE THE GOOD LIFE FOR THEM, BUT TO EMPOWER THEM TO GOVERN THEMSELVES AND TO PROVIDE THE GOOD LIFE FOR THEMSELVES. EMPOWERMENT IS WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THAT MR. JEFFERSON FORGOT TWO WORDS. INALIENABLE RESPONSIBILITIES. INALIENABLE RIGHTS ARE INSEPARABLE FROM INALIENABLE RESPONSIBILITIES. EACH ONE OF US IS INESCAPABLY RESPONSIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT, TO INVEST ALL OF OUR ABILITIES AND RESOURCES IN PRODUCING LIVES OF QUALITY FOR OURSELVES AND FOR ALL. FAMILY VALUES, ABSOLUTELY! IN INTERDEPENDENT MODERN SOCIETY YOU CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MEMBERS OF YOUR OWN FAMILY WITHOUT BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SOCIETY IN WHICH THEY LIVE AND THE AIR THAT THEY BREATHE. THIS IS NOT A PHILOSOPHY, IT IS A FACT. IT IS NOT A NEW FACT. IT WAS CLEARLY STATED BY ABRAHAM, JESUS, BUDDHA AND MUHAMMAD. EMPOWERMENT IS WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THAT POLICY FOR AN AGE OF SCIENCE AND DEMOCRACY CANNOT PROVIDE PACKAGED SOLUTIONS; IT MUST PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK OF PRINCIPLES AND GOALS THROUGH WHICH THE TRIAL AND ERROR OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD CAN FLOW; IT MUST ENABLE ALL INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE THE DECISIONS, INDEED TO MAKE THE SO-CALLED MISTAKES, WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF SCIENCE AND DEMOCRACY. EMPOWERMENT MEANS CHOICES. THESE ARE SOME OF THE FOUNDATIONAL CONCEPTS OF A CULTURE THAT EMPOWERS. BUT WHAT SPECIFIC FORM WILL EMPOWERMENT POLICIES TAKE? THAT IS UP TO YOU, AND TO THE TRIAL AND ERROR OF SCIENCE. LET ME GIVE YOU SOME RANDOM FOCUSES. YOU WILL CREATE MORE AND BETTER ONES. VISION: OUR TASK IS NOT TO WEAKEN GOVERNMENT, IT IS TO STRENGTHEN GOVERNMENT. OUR TASK IS TO CUT THE MASSIVE FAT AND THE OPPRESSIVE PATERNALISM OUT OF GOVERNMENT, TO ELIMINATE THE DEADLY DOMINATION OF GOVERNMENT BY SPECIAL INTERESTS. OUR TASK IS TO GREATLY STRENGTHEN THE ABILITY OF GOVERNMENT TO SYSTEMATICALLY EMPOWER ALL PEOPLE TO GOVERN THEMSELVES AND TO PRODUCE THE GOOD LIFE FOR THEMSELVES AND FOR SOCIETY. OUR TASK IS TO INFUSE GOVERNMENT WITH THE BEST METHODS OF INDEPENDENT LIVING AND FREE ENTERPRISE. VISION: ADA AND IDEA ARE CORNERSTONES OF THE EMPOWERMENT CULTURE. THEY EMPOWER ALL AMERICANS TO PARTICIPATE, TO PRODUCE. ADA AND IDEA AND OTHER DISABILITY RIGHTS LAWS MUST NOT BE WEAKENED. THEY MUST BE VIGOROUSLY IMPLEMENTED. VISION: NO MORE BILLION DOLLAR BANDAIDS ON GHETTOES AND OBSOLETE,HIGH OVERHEAD INFRASTRUCTURE. GOVERNMENT JOINS WITH FREE ENTERPRISE TO CREATE NEW COMMUNITIES WHERE CLOGGED HIGHWAYS, GHETTOES, POLLUTION AND HIGH TAXES ARE REPLACED BY COMPACT, ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE ENVIRONMENTS. ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, COMMERCE AND RECREATION. COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEMS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION THAT TAKE WHERE YOU NEED TO GO. FREE ENTERPRISE GAVE US THE SHOPPING CENTER. NOW GIVE US THE SHOPPING-LIVING- WORKING CENTER. VISION: ALL NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR PUBLIC USE, REQUIRED BY LAW TO BE ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE TO ALL. ACCESSIBLE TELECOMMUNICATIONS MAKES EVERY HOME, OFFICE, FARM, HOSPITAL ROOM AND PRISON CELL INTO A UNIVERSITY, A PLACE OF WORK, A SHOPPING AND COMMERCIAL CENTER. VISION: TRADITIONAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SERVICES, COMPLETELY RECREATED, COMPLETELY INTEGRATED, COMPLETELY INDIVIDUALIZED, TO FOSTER EMPOWERMENT. A COMPUTERIZED, ONE STOP, ONE FILE CONTINUUM OF SERVICES - FROM PERSONAL ASSISTANCE, HEALTH CARE, AND EMPLOYMENT, TO ECONOMIC AID AND INDIVIDUALIZED COUNSELING - AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY TO EVERY PERSON FROM BIRTH TO DEATH. GUARANTEED AND COORDINATED BY GOVERNMENT, BUT WITH INDIVIDUALS MAKING FINAL CHOICES FROM AMONG THE FULL SPECTRUM OF OPTIONS PROVIDED BY ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AND FREE ENTERPRISE. NO FORMS. NO WAITING FOR OFFICES TO OPEN. NO BUREAUCRATS TELLING YOU TO CALL ANOTHER NUMBER. VISION: LIFETIME EDUCATION, A UNIVERSAL SUPERMARKET OF EDUCATIONAL CHOICES, INCLUDING HIGHER EDUCATION, GUARANTEED TO EVERY CITIZEN. AN EDUCATIONAL INTERNET WHICH OPENS THE RESOURCES OF HARVARD, THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO EVERY PERSON. A PORTABLE COMPUTER FOR EVERY PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILD. PUBLIC SERVICE AND PRIVATE INDUSTRY INTERNSHIPS FOR ALL. VISION: COMPREHENSIVE, QUALITY, LIFETIME HEALTH CARE GUARANTEED TO ALL. WITH COMPLETE CHOICE FOR CONSUMERS. INCLUDING LONG TERM, CONSUMER CONTROLLED PERSONAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES. PATIENTS RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO LIVE, PROTECTED BY LAW. VISION: INTERNATIONAL POLICY CHARACTERIZED BY A STRONG BUT REDUCED, STREAMLINED MILITARY, AND AMERICA AS THE WORLD'S MOST ARTICULATE VOICE FOR THE RIGHTS AND THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL. THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY SHOULD BE FUNDED TO PLAY A LEADING ROLE. VISION: BALANCE THE BUDGET. ABSOLUTELY! AND PAY THE NATIONAL DEBT. IN A BANKRUPT AMERICA, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WILL BE THE FIRST TO SUFFER AND TO DIE. THE 225 BILLION DOLLAR ANNUAL INTEREST ON THE NATIONAL DEBT WILL PAY FOR THE EMPOWERMENT CULTURE. IF EVERY AMERICAN CARRIES HIS OR HER FAIR SHARE OF THE LOAD, WE CAN BALANCE THE BUDGET WITHOUT DEPRIVING ONE SINGLE AMERICAN OF HIS OR HER FEDERALLY GUARANTEED RIGHT TO MEDICAID, MEDICARE OR ANY OF THE BASIC SERVICES THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO A LIFE OF PRODUCTIVITY, DIGNITY AND QUALITY. VISION: NO TAX CUTS FOR ANYONE UNTIL WE BALANCE THE BUDGET, PAY THE DEBT AND EVERY PERSON IS RECEIVING QUALITY HEALTH CARE AND EMPOWERMENT SERVICES. CUTTING INVESTMENTS IN PRODUCTIVITY TO PROVIDE SHORT TERM BENEFITS FOR THE WEALTHY VIOLATES THE MUST FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF GOOD BUSINESS. VISION: GOVERNMENT THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY INITIATE A MAJOR CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE AMERICA ABOUT THE RIGHTS AND THE POTENTIAL OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, ABOUT THE CONCEPTS AND METHODS OF EMPOWERMENT. THIS WILL REQUIRE PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP, AND BIPARTISAN LEADERSHIP AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT. IT WILL REQUIRE SUBSTANTIAL FUNDING, INCLUDING FUNDING WHICH EMPOWERS THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY, BUSINESS, EDUCATION AND THE MEDIA TO PARTICIPATE MEANINGFULLY. UNDERSTAND AND ARE MOTIVATED TO ACTION. THIS IS AN AMBITIOUS AGENDA WITH A MAGNIFICENT POTENTIAL. IT IS WITHIN OUR POWER TO CREATE A GOLDEN AGE OF SCIENCE FOR LIFE, A QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL AMERICANS THAT EXCEEDS THE IMAGINATION OF UTOPIAN FICTION. BUT CAN WE AFFORD TO CREATE THE EMPOWERMENT CULTURE -TO EXPAND PUBLIC SERVICES, TO BUILD NEW COMMUNITIES. WE CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO DO IT. THE STATUS QUO IS BANKRUPTING US.INVESTMENT IN EMPOWERMENT WILL DRAMATICALLY LOWER THE OVERHEAD AND INCREASE THE PRODUCTIVITY AND THE QUALITY OF AMERICAN LIFE. IT WILL CREATE MILLIONS OF NEW JOBS. THERE WILL BE AN EXPLOSION OF SMALL BUSINESS WHEN GUARANTEED, PORTABLE EMPOWERMENT SERVICES LIBERATE PEOPLE TO WORK WHERE THEY CHOOSE. THERE WILL BE AN ECONOMIC BOOM THAT WILL DWARF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION. AMERICA WILL RENEW ITS ECONOMIC AND MORAL LEADERSHIP OF THE WORLD. NOTHING COULD BE MORE REPUBLICAN, NOTHING COULD BE MORE DEMOCRAT, NOTHING COULD BE MORE IN HARMONY WITH FAMILY VALUES, WITH REFORMING WELFARE, REDUCING THE DEFICIT AND WITH THE AMERICAN HERITAGE THAN EMPOWERING ALL AMERICANS TO PARTICIPATE IN FREE ENTERPRISE DEMOCRACY. EMPOWERMENT AMERICA IS POSSIBLE. WE HAVE THE MONEY. WE HAVE THE TALENT. WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY. BUT DO WE AS A NATION HAVE THE WILL AND THE COURAGE TO CHANGE? HOW CAN WE POSSIBLY OVERCOME THE POWERFUL LOBBIES FOR RETREAT - AND FOR THE STATUS QUO? EVEN OUR OLDEST, STRONGEST FRIENDS IN GOVERNMENT SEEM TO BE OVERWHELMED BY A TIDAL WAVE OF HOSTILE, ESCAPIST POLITICS. CREDIBLE PEOPLE ARE LEAVING PUBLIC SERVICE. WHO WILL SAVE THE DREAM? WHO WILL MAKE THE DREAM LIVE? LOOK AROUND THE ROOM. THE BUCK STOPS HERE. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE. WE OF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY ARE RESPONSIBLE TO EVERY AMERICAN FAMILY, PRESENT AND FUTURE, BECAUSE EVERY FAMILY WILL EXPERIENCE DISABILITY. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE TO EVERY FAMILY IN THE WORLD, BECAUSE THE WORLD IS WATCHING THE ADA AND THE IDEA. THE WORLD IS WATCHING AMERICAN DEMOCRACY. THE WORLD WILL FOLLOW WHAT WE DO. FAILURE IS UNTHINKABLE. NO SOLDIER EVER DIED IN A BETTER CAUSE. YOU WHO HAVE DONE SO MUCH - WE TOGETHER - HAVE GOT TO DO MORE. WE'VE GOT TO WIN. WHERE DO WE START? WE START BY GETTING OFF OF THE DEFENSE AND ONTO THE OFFENSE. CREATE THE VISION. SHOUT THE VISION. BUILD THE NEW CULTURE. MANY OF YOU ARE ALREADY DOING IT. BUT FOR EVERY ONE OF US, WE'VE GOT TO EMPOWER A THOUSAND NEW LEADERS. THE ELECTIONS OF 1996 GIVE US A ONCE IN A CENTURY OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNICATE OUR VISION. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME OF DECISION FOR AMERICA SINCE THE CIVIL WAR. WILL THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA MAINTAIN THE AUTHORITY TO GUARANTEE ITS CITIZENS THE BASIC RIGHTS AND SERVICES OF CIVILIZED SOCIETY, OR WILL THAT AUTHORITY BE PASSED TO A CONFEDERACY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, SPECIAL INTERESTS AND CHARITIES? GET INTO POLITICS AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON IT. IT DOES. WE OF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY MUST BE REPRESENTED, OUR MESSAGE MUST BE SHOUTED IN ALL CAMPAIGNS, - YOSHIKO AND I HAVE MADE OUR DECISION OF CONSCIENCE - YOU WILL MALE YOURS. BUT WHATEVER CAMPAIGN WE AS INDIVIDUALS SUPPORT -CLINTON, DOLE, REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRAT, INDEPENDENT - WE MUST NOT ATTACK EACH OTHER. WE MUST REMAIN UNITED IN THE FOUNDATIONAL VALUES OF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY - ADA, IDEA, EMPOWERMENT. UNITED WE WIN. DIVIDED WE LOSE. BELOVED COLLEAGUES, I'VE MADE A LONG SPEECH. MY WORDS ARE INADEQUATE. LISTEN TO THE HEART OF THIS OLD SOLDIER. AS I FACE THE DEFINING BATTLES OF 1996 - MAYBE THE LAST GREAT BATTLES OF MY LIFE - I AGONIZE OVER MY RESPONSIBILITY TO YOU AND TO LIFE IN THE FUTURE. I RAISE MY PASSIONATE PRAYER FOR THE WILL AND THE WISDOM TO TRANSCEND MY WEAKNESSES AND GIVE ALL THAT I AM. AND I THANK GOD FOR YOU. YOU HAVE PROVED THAT THE CYNICS ARE WRONG. YOU HAVE PROVED THAT THE AMERICAN DREAM CAN LIVE. YOU HAVE MADE MIRACLES IN THOUSANDS OF LIVES LIKE MINE. I OWE YOU SO MUCH. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. I THANK GOD FOR MY BELOVED MENTORS AND COLLEAGUES OVER THE YEARS: MARCA, JUDY, PAUL, LIZ, GINA, RAE, BOB AND STEPHANIE,, BRUCE, MICHAEL, HOWARD, JOHN, NANCY, ORAL, DEBBIE, MARILYN - I THANK GOD FOR MY FOR MY MAGNIFICENT COLLEAGUES IN JUSTICE FOR ALL, BECKY, FRED, MARK. AND I THANK GOD FOR YOSHIKO DART, THE GREATEST HUMAN BEING I HAVE EVER KNOWN. I THANK GOD FOR AND EACH ONE OF YOU HERE TODAY. I LOVE YOU. I REACH OUT TO EACH ONE OF YOU. I ASK YOUR GUIDANCE AND YOUR INSPIRATION. I ASK FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF FIGHTING AT YOUR SIDE ONCE AGAIN. LET US EMBRACE AND LIFT EACH OTHER. LET US GO FORWARD IN THE GREAT TRADITION OF WASHINGTON, LINCOLN, MARTIN LUTHER KING WADE BLANK, ED ROBERTS AND ELIZABETH BOGGS. LET US GREET INTIMIDATION WITH COURAGE, HATE WITH LOVE, DEMAGOGUERY WITH SIMPLE TRUTH. LET US OVERWHELM FEAR AND FALLACY WITH OUR VISION OF AN AMERICA THAT INCLUDES ALL, THAT EMPOWERS ALL. LET US EMBRACE AMERICA, FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA. LET US BRING AMERICA TOGETHER, MEN AND WOMEN, YOUNG AND OLD, PEOPLE WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES, REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, AND INDEPENDENTS, BUSINESS, LABOR, RICH, POOR AND MIDDLE CLASS. LET US BRING AMERICA TOGETHER, BLACKS, WHITES, BROWNS, GAYS AND LESBIANS, CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS AND JEWS, PRO-LIFERS AND PRO-CHOICERS. EVERY AMERICAN HAS A VALUABLE AND UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION TO MAKE. LET US SHOUT TOGETHER, EACH IN OUR OWN WAY. PRESIDENT CLINTON, SPEAKER GINGRICH, SENATOR DOLE, AMERICA, JOIN US IN CREATING EMPOWERMENT USA. FREE OUR PEOPLE. FREE ENTERPRISE FOR ALL. AMERICA, JOIN US IN KEEPING THE SACRED PLEDGE: ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. COLLEAGUES, I DO LOVE YOU. TOGETHER, WE SHALL OVERCOME