Remarks at the Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner in Des Moines, Iowa

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Oct 30, 1995

When the First Lady went to Beijing to stand up for the rights of women and children everywhere--[applause]--thank you--the conventional wisdom was, notwithstanding your ovation, that that was a bad idea. People said, "Well now, look, if she goes, just the act of her going will legitimize human rights practices we don't agree with." People on the other side said, "Oh, oh, if she goes, and says what's true, it might offend the Chinese and we'll mess up our trade relations and will cost a few jobs."

But let me tell you something, folks. We're going to live in a world with all of these other countries. In South Asia alone, there are 77 million more--listen to this--77 million more young boys than young girls. Why? These little girls are being killed. They're not valued as people. Boys are still thought of as more important economically and therefore as human beings than girls. We can't live in a world at peace and harmony, consistent with our values, until we live in a world where women everywhere, including women here, subject to domestic violence and abuse on the street, can live in dignity and freedom and equality. We cannot do that.

And I just want to say one more thing. When I went to the University of Texas Monday morning, some people said, "This is a very dangerous thing for you to embrace the people that are showing up in Washington and stand up for racial reconciliation. You don't know what's going to happen there." But I know one thing. I didn't know what was going to happen there--I thought I did--I knew that march was about the people that were showing up, not about the leaders. I knew it was about what was in people's heart on that day, not what some people had said in political speeches. I knew that the same thread that's running though America that's driving down the teen pregnancy rate and the crime rate and all of these other things was running through the spirit of those people there. And it seems to me that as President, I have a responsibility to speak to that. You look around this room, you've got a fair amount of diversity. You look up in that crowd of young people you'll see a lot more. Generationally, there will be more and more and more.

In a global village, old-fashioned American values, the power of American free enterprise and technology, the power of America's example, combined with the fact that we are so diverse across racial and ethnic groups, is our meal ticket to the future. It is not only morally the right thing to do, it is a gold mine for us if we will turn away from those who would divide us. And that is why I said to--that's why I said to the American people last week, every American needs to make a personal commitment that they're going to establish some sort of a personal relationship with someone of a different racial or ethnic group. And if you work with a lot of people from different groups, ask yourself if you've ever really had an honest conversation, have you ever really told anybody what you thought?

The most stunning thing to most Americans in the aftermath of the Simpson trial was all that public research saying that people from different races saw the same set of facts in a completely different light. But most of us share the same values. That's what the march proved. People showed up saying, "We do have to take more responsibility for ourselves, our families, and our communities, and we are going to do it, and we want to reach out to you." So we have to do that. All of you do. We have to set an example. We have to be honest with one another. We have to listen to one another. And we have got to find a way to come together. Because, I'm telling you, if you solve this diversity problem, America, there is no stopping this country in the 21st century; it is ours to lead and to enjoy and to profit from.