Moslem-that yours is a profession dedicated not merely to practical results or material progress but to a higher duty and, a higher duty and, indeed, to the public good. Many years ago, one of my predecessors, a man trained and accomplished in the same profession as yourselves, found himself facing a crisis of conviction. Many Americans had come to doubt the very foundations upon which this nation was laid. And it was widely suggested that the early success of the United States was an accident of natural wealth. People said that the sophisticated problems of modern times required a rethinking of the democratic institutions of our nation's youth. The President was burdened by a troubling question: Do the founders of our nation have anything to say to the present day, or is it necessary to start over on a new basis? The man was Thomas Jefferson, and the occasion, his inaugural address. And the response he made to that crisis is as forceful today as it was in his own age. For Jefferson understood that the essence of America lies not in shared real estate but in shared values, not in a common ancestry but in a common vision. So, he spoke of the rights of responsibilities of free citizens. "Every difference of opinion," he warned, "is not a difference of principle." And he singled out one such unyielding principle as fundamental to our continued life as a nation: “equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political." And the challenge that Thomas Jefferson delivered to his fellow citizens-I repeat it today; I deliver it to you this afternoon. And so, I challenge you, as Catholic lawyers, not to give in to the dismay of those today who in error or alarm have wandered from the basic convictions to which our nation is pledged. I challenge you to rekindle and foster a love of justice-American justice-a justice that knows no boundaries of race and sex, income or age. We're all born with certain talents or abilities, and part of growing up Catholic in America is being reminded of each person's obligations to use the gifts that God gave them. Perhaps some of you saw this amazing Notre Dame sophomore last Saturday: the "Rocket"-Raghib "Rocket" Ismail. Not once but twice returning kickoffs for recordbreaking touchdowns-the best use of speed since Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier. Well, as lawyers, as advocates, part of your task is to use your talents-to speak for those unable to speak for themselves. I challenge you to rearticulate those principles that are deeper than our differences-the principles of equal and exact justice-and that vision of free and responsible citizenship which forms our common heritage. Here I may well be preaching to the converted. None of the judges I've spoken to ever complained of difficulty in getting a group of Boston lawyers to speak their minds. [Laughter] But communication, advocacy everyone here is uniquely suited for the task. By virtue of your profession and your faith, you are alive to the fact that if we are indeed "one nation, under God," then our responsibilities do not end with simply obeying the law. We must actively work to extend peace, liberty, and safety to all our fellow citizens. As Saint Augustine said: "While law makes us obedient to justice, God makes us agents of justice, doers of justice, creators of justice." I challenge you, as men and women of faith, to give voice to this justice. Do it proudly, with the courage of conviction. And carry justice to all of our citizens, especially to those who know it least. We must devote special attention to the problems of those on the margins, those lacking adequate food or shelter, those addicted or mentally ill, those whose neighborhoods have been decimated by crime. And we must remember the unremembered, protect the unprotected, stand up for those who live in a world of pain-the hungry and the homeless, the haunted and the hurting. It's not enough to give them justice. We must also give them hope. And part of this effort belongs in the courtroom, where prosecutors and judges fight to preserve justice and where private attorneys perform untold good through pro bono efforts. Consider, for example, Operation Uplift, begun by lawyers in Minneapolis and now spreading across the country. Its premise-a simple one: When an attorney represents a client pro bono, the client is asked to do volunteer work in the neighborhood or community, pledging 1 hour of service for every hour the attorney spends working on the case. It costs nothing and doubles the good done by pro bono efforts. But ultimately, to succeed, this effort can't end with the working day. The grassroots movement that we've called a Thousand Points of Light must reach out to America's hurting where they are, in the classroom as well as the courtroom, and in church basements, streetcorners and lonely apartments. And the bottom line is this: From now on in America, any definition of a successful life must include service to others. This room-especially this room—is rich with shining examples of good men and women who have devoted their lives to service-in private, in public, in the pulpit. Make community service central to your life and work. And somewhere in your own community there is an illiterate man yearning for the gift most of you have enjoyed since childhood: the ability to read. Somewhere in your own community there's a homeless family that needs food and clothing and shelter. And somewhere in your own community there is a scared little kid tempted to buy crack or join a gang, a kid who needs the love and guidance of a Big Brother. There are countless unmet needs, countless ways in which you can make a difference for the better. For you who are senior partners, I urge you to consider community service by your associates in hiring and promoting decisions. And at the end of the day, let it be said about you that, more than your record in court or the hours you've billed, this was the way in which you touched the life of someone in need. And finally, with particular concern, we challenge you to even greater efforts towards the protection of human life. Use your talents, your energy, and your professional resources to reaffirm the right to life as the most fundamental freedom. The Jeffersonian vision of justice-of peace, liberty, and safety for all—has permeated our American understanding of rights, of responsibilities, of life itself. It is evident in one of our symbols, the American flag, but I want to look at something even more commonplace than the flag-a single dime. There are three emblems on the back of the dime. An olive branch, a torch, and the limb of an oak. The olive branch symbolizes our longing for peace, our willingness to live by righteousness, not simply by military might. Next to the olive branch is a torch, the lamp of liberty. And beside the torch lies the oak, the symbol of safety, security, and of strength which guarantees them. And finally, in the midst of the three reads the motto, “E Pluribus Unum." "From the many, one," We are a diverse people, with many backgrounds, many challenges, many hopes. And so, I call upon you today, the Guild of Catholic Lawyers, to give voice to the consensus, the oneness of values which lives beneath the diversity. I call upon you, as agents and creators of justice, to help us bring about peace, liberty, and the safety we seek for every human being. Thank you, Your Eminence, for inviting me here today. God bless you all, and God bless the United States. Thank you very much. Note: The President spoke at 1:48 p.m. in the ballroom at the Park Plaza Hotel. In his opening remarks, he referred to Joseph R. Nolan, president of the guild. Executive Order 12691-President's By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, and in order to establish, in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App. 2), an advisory committee on the Points of Light Initiative, a foundation to be established to foster and promote community service, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Establishment. (a) There is established the President's Advisory Committee on the Points of Light Initiative Foundation ("Committee"). The Committee shall be composed of not more than five members to be appointed by the President. (b) The President shall appoint a Chairman and Vice Chairman from among the members of the Committee. Sec. 2. Functions. The Committee shall advise the President, by written report to be submitted within forty-five (45) days of the Committee's first meeting, with respect to the legal structure of the Points of Light Initiative Foundation and the legislation needed to establish the Foundation. Sec. 3. Administration. (a) The Director of the Office of National Service in the Executive Office of the President and the heads of executive agencies shall provide, to the extent permitted by law, the Committee with such information with respect to community service issues and such other support as it may require for purposes of carrying out its functions under this order. (b) Members of the Committee shall serve without compensation for their work on the Committee. However, members appointed from among private citizens of the United States shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in Government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707). (c) The Office of National Service in the Executive Office of the President shall provide, to the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of funds, the Committee with administrative services, funds, and other support services as may be necessary for the effective performance of its functions hereunder. (d) Notwithstanding any other executive order, the functions of the President under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, except that of reporting to the Congress, which are applicable to the Committee, shall be performed by the Director of the Office of National Service, in accordance with guidelines and procedures established by the Administrator of General Services. I look forward to meeting with President Gorbachev. The state of U.S.-Soviet relations is good, and I have enjoyed a positive working relationship with Mr. Gorbachev. Our meeting will afford an opportunity to reaffirm our mutual commitment to moving the U.S.-Soviet relationship forward as underscored by the progress at the Wyoming ministerial. I commend the efforts of Secretary [of State] Baker and Foreign Minister Shevardnadze. I envision a broad discussion of the full agenda that the two sides have established: human rights, bilateral relations, arms control, regional issues, and transnational issues. Statement on the Death of Irving Berlin September 23, 1989 I was saddened to hear of the death of Irving Berlin. Very few composers have come to touch the soul of a nation, reflecting its spirit and traditions. Mr. Berlin ranks among such composers, having become a living legend in his own lifetime. His love of country and fellow man, so vividly demonstrated in his songs, were characteristics which we all admired and which will be part of his legacy. His songs, such as "God Bless America" and "White Christmas," have become woven into the very fabric of American society, touching the lives of generations of Americans. Barbara and I extend our sympathies to his family and join the American people in mourning the loss of this great American. Remarks Announcing the Upcoming Summit With President Gorbachev of the Soviet Union and a Question-andAnswer Session With Reporters September 23, 1989 Summit With President Gorbachev The President. General Scowcroft [Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs] and I just talked to Secretary Baker and I'm very pleased that we've reached agreement with the Soviets on several questions, only one of which I am prepared to mention here now. But in a few minutes, Mr. Shevardnadze [Foreign Minister] will have a press conference, followed promptly by Secretary [of State] Baker's press conference, at which it will be announced-and they will discuss the details-that we will be having a summit, that I will be meeting with Mr. Gorbachev in late spring or early summer. The agreement is set and I'm very pleased. And I'll leave further comment on what's been accomplished in Wyoming to our Secretary of State. Q. Where is the summit going to be, Mr. President? The President. Well, undoubtedly, it will be in the United States. is Q. Has that been fixed in those talks, or The President. I'm not sure that that will be part of the announcement; I didn't discuss it. But it is just assumed-I'm assuming it will be there. Nuclear Testing and Chemical Weapons Q. And did they nail down the accords on nuclear testing and chemical weapons? The President. No, but I'd prefer to leave that to the Secretary and Mr. Shevardnadze. But I'm very pleased overall. I think you'll see why when they make their announcements there. Summit With President Gorbachev Q. What accomplishment do you expect out of the summit? What will be the purpose of it then? The President. Well, a wide array of subjects, and we will be continuing to work on the arms control agenda. It's not my view that summits must have arms control agreements. But we're going to be working with full faith, going forward in every way to achieve further arms reductions. That's been a goal of mine for a long time and I think it's a goal of Mr. Gorbachev's. And so I would say that there's a chance for agreements of that nature. But there will be plenty of other subjects to discuss in addition to arms control. Q. Why the late spring to early summer timetable? Could it not be sooner? The President. Well, you might make a case that it could be sooner, but this was the agreed timetable, and it's agreeable to us, and Conventional Arms Control Q. Did you want to give more time to the conventional weapons negotiations to go forward or The President. Well, it gives us time to move forward on a lot of fronts, is the way I see it. And it's not under the time gun, and yet, the summit being set, I think it will be useful on both sides to pushing both bureaucracies forward, both decision-making teams forward to achieve results. I think that was why the general agreement on time. Anyway, it's good news, and I'm very pleased with what the Secretary has been able to accomplish out there. I don't know whether General Scowcroft would have more on all this later, but I know he's been in close touch with the Secretary, Bob Gates [Assistant to the President and Deputy for National Security Affairs], out there, and will continue to be. United Nations Address Q. Will you now work this into your speech to the U.N. General Assembly? The President. Well, we may-it's one of the things that you foresaw in your question a minute ago, but yes, we might touch on it. I think around the world, people will be pleased that there is this announcement, and there may be other things that will come out of the Wyoming meeting that we can talk about in New York. Summit With President Gorbachev Q. Would you like to see this summit take place someplace other than Washington? You'd like to see it out in the country, wouldn't you? The President. No, I think probably Washington would be proper for this one, although I don't think they've discussed that or agreed on General Scowcroft. No, sir. It's just the ordinary run of things, it's your turn. Q. But, General, there is a commitment by the Soviets to have the summit in the U.S.? General Scowcroft. Oh, I think so. It's assumed. The President. Yes. That was discussed, as a matter of fact, in the Oval Office and was almost a given. But I just have to hedge a little because I don't know whether that's in the announcement by the Foreign Secretary. Q. Do you think it would precede or follow the economic summit? The President. Well, we haven't set a date. We're very open as to whether that economic summit should be in the spring of 1990 or into the fall of 1990. The last one, as you know, was the one just past—in the summer. But I think our allies seem to be very flexible and I now must get in touch with them fairly soon to determine what their desires are. From the U.S. side, we can be very flexible on that. Q. And it might be as late as the fall? The President. I would think it could be. They've had several in the fall, I think. So there's no-in other words, there is no set month or period, season in which to have these. The Drug War in Colombia Q. On the drug front, don't you think that Mrs. de Greiff's [Justice Minister] resignation in Colombia means that the drug lords are not-that they seem to have the upper hand, they're not being beaten back at all? The President. Rita [Rita Beamish, Associated Press], I don't think so because of what I've been reading today coming out of Colombia and, obviously, from what she, herself, said. But that's their business; that's the internal affair of Colombia. But I see no reason that that single resignation will signal or lead to a lessening in resolve on the part of President Barco. So I don't worry about that. Q. But she might have been threatened out of office. The President. Well, I think that was the original fear, but I don't know the internals of that at all. But I think that the commitment of the Colombian Government is such that this resignation by itself should not be interpreted as a signal that they're going to lighten up in some way. Okay. Thank you all very much. Now for the river. Q. What? The President. A little fishing down there. Come on. [Laughter] Note: The President spoke in the afternoon at the Cape Arundel Golf Course in Kennebunkport, ME. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these remarks. Remarks to the Staff of the United States Mission to the United Nations in New York City September 25, 1989 Thank you all so much, and thank you, Jim. First, I should say I think our Secretary and his distinguished team did an outstanding job out there in Wyoming. I hope, in a sense, what happened there will make your work easier during this session of the General Assembly. But in any event, I think it sent a good, positive signal around the world, and we're very grateful to him, and Susan, too, who was out there as well in Wyoming for this unique diplomatic effort. The Secretary introduced the fishing because he caught fish and Mr. Shevardnadze didn't. [Laughter] It was a vicious assault on the Soviet Union. But I want to thank the Pickerings. If you want to get a job done, you send the best. And Tom has served as perhaps our most senior Foreign Service officer, and it was thus for me a great privilege, really, to nominate him here. The fact that he waswillingness to come to New York and take on this most important diplomatic assignment that we have I think sends a good signal to the United Nations as to the importance we place on it, and I think it sends a good signal to the Foreign Service. I hope it does because I have great respect for the Foreign Service. But all I know is, we've |