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REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT MEDALS OF FREEDOM PRESENTATION
THE WHITE HOUSE
White House Press Release
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release January 15, 1998
The East Room
10:00 A.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. I want to begin with a warm
welcome to all of our guests here, our honorees and their family
members, members of the administration, members of Congress, other
distinguished officials.
It is fitting that today this ceremony occurs on the birthday of
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who, 21 years ago, was granted this
award by President Carter posthumously, to ensure that his legacy
would live on. Until every child has the opportunity to live up
to his or her God-given potential, free from want in a world at
peace, Dr. King's work and our work is not yet done. He
once said that, "No social advance rolls on the wheels of inevitability."
After five years in Washington, I know that is true. (Laughter.)
Humanity makes progress through decades of sweat and toil by dedicated
individuals who give freely of themselves and who inspire others
to do the same -- the kind of heroic men and women we honor today.
All of our honorees have helped America to widen the circle of
democracy -- by fighting for human rights, by righting social wrongs,
by empowering others to achieve, by preserving our precious environment,
by extending peace around the world. Every person here has done
so by rising in remarkable ways to America's highest calling, the
calling, as the First Lady said, of active citizenship.
On behalf of a grateful nation, I would like to bestow the Presidential
Medal of Freedom on these courageous citizens. Let me say, as I
begin, that I am grateful to all of them who are here and those
who are not.
First, Arnie Aronson, who, unfortunately, is ill and is represented
here by his wife, Annette, his son, Bernie; his granddaughter, Felicia.
Arnie Aronson, a glowing symbol of the coalition of conscience linking
black and white communities, began his career in civil rights in
1941 when he and A. Philip Randolph secured a landmark executive
order banning discrimination on the basis of race. He later co-founded
the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, helping hundreds of disparate
groups keep their eyes on the prize and speak with one booming voice.
As the legendary leader, Clarence Mitchell, Jr. said of him, "There
would not have been a civil rights movement without the Leadership
Conference, and there would not have been a Leadership Conference
without Arnie Aronson."
Commander Huey, please read the citation.
(Commander Huey reads citation.)
THE PRESIDENT: I never contradict my wife in public, but I couldn't
help thinking when she said we were honoring 15 ordinary American
citizens today, I thought: yes, people like Brooke Astor and David
Rockefeller. (Laughter.) But I say that to make this point: In some
ways, we honor them more, because they certainly had other options.
(Laughter.) And that is important to remember.
At the age of 15, about eight decades ago, Brooke Astor wrote a
wise poem. In that poem, an elderly man implores a young girl, "Take
thy spade and take thine ax. Make the flowers bloom." With
her legendary largesse and unequaled grace, she has made more flowers
bloom than anyone -- not only at such recognizable landmarks as
the New York Public Library and the Metropolitan Museum of Art,
but also in forgotten homeless shelters, youth centers and nursing
homes. She is not only New York's unofficial First Lady, she has
become America's guardian angel.
Commander, read the citation.
(Commander Huey reads the citation.)
THE PRESIDENT: In 1961, a young Air Force psychiatrist in New Orleans
saw a six-year-old black girl being heckled by an angry crowd. The
girl, Ruby Bridges was her name, did not yell back, but instead
knelt down to pray. The doctor, Robert Coles, was greatly moved.
From that moment on, he dedicated his life to healing racial wounds,
aiding children in crisis and inspiring Americans to answer the
call of citizen service.
As a Harvard professor and a prolific documentarian of the American
spirit, he has been the beacon of social consciousness for more
than two generations of Americans, from Robert Kennedy to the freshmen
in college today. There is hardly a person I know who has ever read
his books who has not been profoundly changed. Hillary and I are
personally grateful to him just for those books; but his life has
elevated the morality and the spirituality of the United States.
Commander, read the citation.
(Commander Huey reads the citation.)
THE PRESIDENT: Justin Dart literally opened the doors of opportunities
to millions of our citizens by securing passage of one of the nation's
landmark civil rights laws: The Americans With Disabilities Act.
Throughout his career, he has worn many hats, and he's wearing one
of them today. (Laughter.)
At the University of Houston, he led bold efforts to promote integration.
He went on to become, in his own words, "a full-time soldier
in the trenches of justice," turning every state in the nation
to elevate disability rights to the mainstream of political discourse.
He once said, "Life is not a game that requires losers."
He has given millions a chance to win. He has also been my guide
in understanding the needs of disabled Americans. And every time
I see him, he reminds me of the power of heart and will. I don't
know that I've ever known a braver person.
Commander, read the citation.
(Commander Huey reads the citation.)
THE PRESIDENT: In the spring of 1942, a man fresh out of theology
school sat down at the counter of Chicago's Jack Spratt Coffee Shop
and ordered a doughnut. Because he was black, he was refused. Because
his name was James Farmer, he did not give in. He and the other
founders of the Congress of Racial Equality organized the nation's
first sit-in and launched an era of nonviolent protests for civil
rights.
He went on to help bring down Jim Crow by leading freedom rides,
voter drives and marches, enduring repeated beatings and jailings
along the way. He has never sought the limelight and until today,
I, frankly, think he's never gotten the credit he deserves for the
contribution he has made to the freedom of African Americans and
other minorities and their equals opportunities in America. But
today, he can't avoid the limelight, and his long overdue recognition
has come to pass.
Read the citation, Commander.
(Commander Huey reads the citation.)
THE PRESIDENT: In 1976, the Girl Scouts of America, one of our
country's greatest institutions, was near collapse. Frances Hesselbein,
a former volunteer from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, led them back,
both in numbers and in spirit. She achieved not only the greatest
diversity in the group's long history, but also its greatest cohesion,
and in so doing, made a model for us all.
In her current role as the President of the Drucker Foundation
for Nonprofit Management, she has shared her remarkable recipe for
inclusion and excellence with countless organizations whose bottom
line is measured not in dollars, but in changed lives.
Since Mrs. Hesselbein forbids the use of hierarchical words like
"up" and "down" when she's around -- (laughter)
-- I will call this pioneer for women, volunteerism, diversity and
opportunity not up, but forward, to be recognized.
Commander, read the citation.
(Commander Huey reads the citation.)
THE PRESIDENT: In 1942, an ordinary American took an extraordinary
stand. Fred Korematsu boldly opposed the forced internment of Japanese
Americans during World War II. After being convicted for failing
to report for relocation, Mr. Korematsu took his case all the way
to the Supreme Court. The high court ruled against him.
But 39 years later, he had his conviction overturned in federal
court, empowering tens of thousands of Japanese Americans and giving
him what he said he wanted most of all -- the chance to feel like
an American once again.
In the long history of our country's constant search for justice,
some names of ordinary citizens stand for millions of souls: Plessy.
Brown. Parks. To that distinguished list, today we add the name
of Fred Korematsu.
Commander, please read the citation.
(Commander Huey reads the citation.)
THE PRESIDENT: As our mutual friend, Mack McLarty once said, "Receiving
advice from Saul Linowitz on international diplomacy is like getting
trumpet lessons from the Angel Gabriel." (Laughter.) Saul Linowitz
has answered his nation's call many, many times. Over his distinguished
career, he has always been willing to extend the hand of peace,
freedom and prosperity to our neighbors all over the world.
With his admired style of quiet and conciliatory diplomacy, he
has helped President Carter negotiate the Panama Canal Treaties.
He made great strides in the peace process in the Middle East. He
worked to provide aid to starving Cambodians. He has been our administration's
guiding spirit for expanding cooperation throughout our hemisphere.
If every world leader had half the vision Saul Linowitz does, we
would have about a tenth as many problems as we've got in this whole
world today.
He's also led here at home, working to address problems of racism
and poverty, always giving generously of his time no matter how
busy he is. Saul Linowitz is an American patriot of the highest
order.
Commander, read the citation.
(Commander Huey reads the citation.)
THE PRESIDENT: When Wilma Mankiller was 10, she and her family
were relocated from Cherokee lands in Oklahoma to San Francisco.
But it was in San Francisco during the civil rights era that she
found her voice and a belief in the power to make change.
Later, Wilma Mankiller returned to Oklahoma and became Chief of
the Chief of the Cherokee nation. During her two terms in office
-- and I might add, she won reelection by 82 percent - (laughter
and applause) -- she was not only the guardian of the centuries-old
Cherokee heritage, but a revered leader who built a brighter and
healthier future for her nation.
When she stepped down as Chief, the Cherokee nation wept. We know
today's honor will bring tears of joy to many in both our nations.
Commander, read the citation.
(Commander Huey reads the citation.)
THE PRESIDENT: For Mardy Murie, wilderness is personal. She
and her husband, Olaus, spent their honeymoon -- listen to this
-- on a 550-mile dogsled expedition -- (laughter) -- through the
Brooks Mountain Range of Alaska. Fitting for a couple whose love
for each other was matched only by their love of nature. And they
certainly must have known each other better after the trip was over.
(Laughter.)
After her husband died, Mrs. Murie built on their five decades
of work together. She became the prime mover in the creation of
one of America's great national treasures, the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge, and blazed trails for generations of conservationists.
Today, amidst the fir and spruce of the high Tetons, she shares
her wisdom with everyone who passes by, from ordinary hikers to
the President and the First Lady, inspiring us all to conserve our
pristine lands and preserve her glorious legacy.
Commander, read the citation.
(Commander Huey reads the citation.)
THE PRESIDENT: In 1970, Mario Obledo received a complaint
that a public swimming pool in Texas was barring Mexican Americans
at the gate. He decided to travel 200 miles to take a swim. (Laughter.)
He was turned away and he filed suit. When Mr. Obledo won, even
the joy in the courthouse could not match that of Mexican American
children whose civil rights had been defended; as, finally, they
had a chance to jump into that public pool.
As cofounder of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education
Fund and the National Hispanic Bar Association, as Chairman of the
Rainbow Coalition, Mario Obledo has expanded opportunity for Americans
of every race and ethnic background. Through the force of law and
the power of the vote, he has enhanced the character and condition
of America.
Commander, read the citation.
(Commander Huey reads the citation.)
THE PRESIDENT: After he was decorated on the beaches of Normandy
and had begun to serve as a law clerk for Justice Felix Frankfurter,
Elliott Richardson had a strange request for his distinguished boss.
The brilliant, young Renaissance man asked if he could have an uninterrupted
hour every morning to read poetry. Alas, he was refused. (Laughter.)
That effort failed, but little else has failed in Elliott Richardson's
versatile, indefatigable career. He gave courageous and deeply moral
service to our nation as Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare,
Secretary of Defense, Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Secretary
of Commerce -- where he actually painted his own official portrait
-- (laughter) -- and of course, as Attorney General, where, on one
difficult Saturday night, he saved the nation from a constitutional
crisis with his courage and moral clarity.
No public servant is more beloved by those who have served him.
No public servant has shown greater respect for the Constitution
he has served. And it is my great honor to award him the Medal of
Freedom today.
Commander, please read the citation.
(Commander Huey reads the citation.)
THE PRESIDENT: Rockefeller is a name that resonates throughout
American history. It means not only private success and wealth,
but also an abiding sense of public responsibility. David Rockefeller
is the standard-bearer of this family and this tradition for making
unprecedented commitments to biomedical research, to sending tens
of thousands of retired executives -- all volunteers - to developing
nations in need of advice and skills. In every region of the world,
heads of state seek his counsel.
But whether he is addressing the King of Spain or a fellow beetle
collector he meets by chance, he treats everyone with exactly the
same impeccable courtesy and respect, as I learned when I met him
a good while before anyone but my mother thought I could become
President. (Laughter.)
David Rockefeller is a gentleman, a statesman, a scholar; and most
important, a genuine humanitarian of the likes our nation has rarely
seen.
Commander, read the citation.
(Commander Huey reads the citation.)
THE PRESIDENT: You know, I hate to break the gravity of the
moment, but I have now something else to thank you for. And, David,
I've been wondering how we can get this ceremony out into the popular
consciousness. And with the mention in the citation of the Trilateral
Commission, I know we're going to be on talk radio all over America
today, so thank you very much. (Laughter.)
Albert Shanker illuminated our nation's path toward educating our
children with devastating honesty, sharp wit and profound wisdom.
He was one of the most important teachers of the 20th Century.
In 1983, when the Nation At Risk Report challenged us to do far
more to raise educational standards for all our children, Al Shanker
was one of the very first to answer the call. That began for me,
a young governor who cared a lot about education, one of the most
remarkable working relationships of my entire life. For, Al Shanker
was for me and so many others a model, a mentor, a friend, a leader
of immense stature who always spoke his mind, no matter how unpopular
the thought. We miss him dearly. But we are comforted to know that
many others carry on his mission and that his wife, Edie, is here
with us today to accept this award which he so richly deserves in
his honor.
Commander, read the citation.
(Commander Huey reads the citation.)
THE PRESIDENT: These days, Elmo "Bud" Zumwalt introduces
himself as "a former sailor." That's sort of like calling
Henry Ford a former car salesman. (Laughter.) In 1970, Bud Zumwalt
became the youngest man in our country's history to rise to the
rank of Chief of Naval Operations, the Navy's top post. There, he
earned billing as the Navy's most popular leader since World War
II for his bold efforts to modernize Navy life. He is a genuine
patriot with an astonishing life story that includes a remarkable
wife, whom me met a year or two ago in China.
But more than most Americans who have served our country with distinction,
Admiral Zumwalt paid a deeply personal price for his leadership
of the Navy during the Vietnam War. For, his son, a junior officer
in the war, died of a cancer linked to his exposure to Agent Orange
in Vietnam. The remarkable thing was Admiral Zumwalt's response.
He dedicated himself to fighting for those with war-related ailments.
He established the first national marrow donor program to help cancer
patients in need. He never stopped fighting for the interests, the
rights and the dignity of those soldiers and sailors and airmen
and marines and their families.
Hillary and I have been deeply blessed to know Bud Zumwalt and
his wife, Mouza and their family very well. Yes, he is a former
sailor. He is also one of the greatest models of integrity and leadership
in genuine humanity our nation has ever produced.
Commander, please read the citation.
THE PRESIDENT: Do you think I was going to change my mind? (Laughter.)
Thank you. (Applause.)
(Commander Huey reads the citation.)
THE PRESIDENT: Before we move to the State Dining Room for the
reception and honor of our awardees, I'd like to close with a brief
note about the future.
Hillary and I and the Vice President -- indeed, our entire administration
-- are going to be working hard in the coming months to help the
American people imagine what the 21st Century can bring. As of today,
that new century is just a little more than 700 days away which,
as you reflect on the remarkable lives we have celebrated today,
is not a lot of time.
But I went back and checked. It's about the same amount of time
that, from 1961 to 1963, an active citizen named King helped James
Meredith go to college, stood up to Bull Connor, wrote a letter
from a jail in Birmingham, helped to organize the March on Washington
and gave a little speech. His main line was "I Have A Dream."
Not a bad 700 days' work.
We must resolve to use our time just as wisely. As we have learned
from today from the remarkable lives of the people we celebrate,
some of whom span nearly this entire century, even a long, long
life doesn't take long to live, and passes in the flash of an eye.
They have shown us that if we live it well, we can leave this earth
better for our children.
Thank you and God bless you. (Applause.)
END 10:46 A.M. ES
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