"Voices Against Violence" Are Heard

by Jordan Mamorsky

We"ve all seen the tragic story: a school in a quaint town becoming a war zone. Kids acting as murderers, commiting crimes against their peers. Even the shock and disgust over these events hasn"t prevented this violence from reoccurring seemingly again and again. Democrats and Republicans have tried to introduce very different ways to solve gun violence in our society and specifically in our schools. Some people have criticized their efforts, suggesting that it"s partisan politics as usual.

However, on Tuesday, October 19th and Wednesday, October 20th, the Democratic Leadership (Majority Leader Richard Gephardt from Missouri, Congressman David Bonior from Michigan, Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro from Connecticut, Congressman Martin Frost from Texas, and Robert Menendez from New Jersey) held a national conference that featured the involvement of teenagers from across the country. "Voices Against Violence" sponsored 350 teenagers from as far away as Guam and the Virgin Islands to as close as Maryland and Virginia. In addition, 130 Representatives assembled with their young constituents on Capitol Hill to learn more about the causes of violence and what can be done to solve the problem.

During the two day conference, teenagers heard from President Clinton, attended a series of workshops on model programs and initiatives which discussed the issue of teen violence, participated in a nation-wide webchat, and drafted a resolution for consideration by the Congress. As a member of the press invited to cover this conference, I had the opportunity to speak with two Congressional activists from our state, both of whom are involved in preventing youth violence. In addition, I also spoke with some