KINDNESS

PREPARING A PROCLAMATION

...and the Original Congressional Resolution

Those of you who are determined to make a difference in your community will find ideas on this page for involving your local, state or national governments. We will provide copy from actual proclamations for your consideration. These are the ones we are familiar with and may be modified to suit your situation.

In addition, we have provided the copy from the original Congressional Resolution that resulted in the decision to make the week of February 12 of each year "Act of Kindness Awareness Week" for the United States. Your comments via e-mail to us will be appreciated. Let us know how you have used the proclamation templates so we may share them with others.

Congressional Resolution

by Dr. Chuck Wall

In order to keep historical facts alive, I thought it necessary to briefly describe how the United States Congress happened to get involved with Kindness. As we are all aware, Congress and Kindness are not usual bed fellows. How the two climbed into bed together is well worth noting. Of course, the relationship was brief as Congress awakened from its momentary slumber and realized just what it had done. In spite of what you may have heard, here is the correct sequence of events with documentation, leading to February 12th being declared the beginning of the week of Kindness for the United States. You will also find a couple of very unfortunate twists in this story.

The nationally syndicated television show entitled "The Crusaders" contacted me in late November 1993 after the incredible media attention regarding my September 1993 kindness assignment to my Human Relations students at Bakersfield College. Kiku, the Crusaders' wonderfully talented producer, asked if she and Mark Hyman, Senior Reporter for the Crusaders, could come to Bakersfield to do a segment on the classroom assignment. This segment ran in December 1993.

Congressman Walter Tucker (Dem., Compton, CA) was watching that segment and contacted Mark Hyman to tell him he wanted to introduce a resolution into the House of Representatives declaring a week of kindness for the United States. Mark then called me to ask that I contact Tucker's legislative aid in Washington D.C. to begin work on an appropriate resolution. By the time I contacted Tucker's office, a resolution draft had already been created and was faxed to me for an accuracy check. After several rounds of editing, the resolution was created for the House of Representatives. This Resolution was then put to a voice vote on the House floor and was passed unanimously.

A Joint House and Senate Resolution was circulated by Congressman Tucker. Unfortunately, he was unable to get enough support to pass this Resolution. The House Resolution stands and many of us have taken it upon ourselves to declare the week beginning the second Sunday each February "Kindness Awareness" week for the United States.

Now for the final chapter. Congressman Walter Tucker, shortly after working to create a week of kindness, was indicted over financial problems that had occurred prior to his being elected to Congress. As a result of the dirty laundry someone dug up, Congressman Tucker was forced to resign his Congressional seat. In my opinion, the difference between Walter Tucker and many other Congressional Representatives is that Tucker was caught. Even though Mr. Tucker's personal problems resulted in his being removed from a position of national leadership, many of us applaud him for what he did on behalf of Kindness. Thanks Mr. Tucker, wherever you are!

Return to top

HOUSE RESOLUTION

CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTION
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION

H. RES.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Mr. TUCKER submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on ________

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the people of the United States should be encouraged to practice random acts of kindness.

Whereas the incidence of random acts of violence in the United States has reached epidemic levels;

Whereas the Surgeon General of the United States estimates that, every day in the United States, 135,000 children carry guns to school;

Whereas, every day in the United States, 3 children are killed by child abuse, 9 children are murdered, 13 children are killed by guns, 30 children are wounded by guns, 307 children are arrested for crimes of violence, 7,945 children are reported abused or neglected, and 5,703 teenagers are victims of violent crime;

Whereas every 4 hours a child in the United States commits suicide;

Whereas, in the United States, every 6 minutes a rape is committed, and every year between 3,000,000 and 4,000,000 women are battered by their partners and more than 200,000 women are stalked;

Whereas, every year in the United States, there are 4.7 random acts of violence committed against every 1,000 persons 65 years of age or older;

Whereas, every year in the United States, there are 758.1 random acts of violence for every 100,000 persons in the United States, and 235 firearm-related acts of violence for every 100,000 persons in the United States;

Whereas there are 238,000,000 handguns in the United States;

Whereas, in 1992 in the United States, there were 1,730 anti-Semitic incidents, the total number of white-supremacist groups rose 27 percent above the number from the previous year, and a record number of bias-related incidents, including 31 murders, were reported;

Whereas hate crimes against Asians comprised 8.9 percent of all hate crimes documented in Los Angeles County in 1990;

Whereas the United States strongly opposes random acts of violence, and all forms of intolerance and mean-spiritedness based on ethnicity, religion, race, gender, or sexual orientation; and

Whereas Dr. Charles Wall of Bakersfield Community College has committed his efforts to promoting random acts of kindness among all people:

Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the people of the United States should be encouraged to practice random acts of kindness, in the spirit of compassion, kindness, and goodwill toward all persons.

Back to Top

CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTION

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JOINT RESOLUTION

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION

H. J. RES.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Mr. TUCKER submitted the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on ________

JOINT RESOLUTION

Designating the week beginning February 12, 1995, as "National Random Acts of Kindness Week".

Whereas the incidence of random acts of violence in the United States has reached epidemic levels;

Whereas the Surgeon General of the United States estimates that, every day in the United States, 135,000 children carry guns to school;

Whereas every 4 hours a child in the United States commits suicide;

Whereas, in the United States, a rape is committed every 6 minutes, and every year between 3,000,000 and 4,000,000 women are battered by their partners and more than 200,000 women are stalked;

Whereas, every year in the United States, there are 4.7 random acts of violence committed against every 1,000 persons 65 years of age or older;

Whereas there are 238,000,000 handguns in the United States;

Whereas hate crimes against Asians comprised 8.9 percent of all hate crimes documented in Los Angeles County in 1990;

Whereas the United States strongly opposes random acts of violence, and all forms of intolerance and mean-spiritedness based on ethnicity, religion, race, gender, or sexual orientation;

Whereas Professor Chuck Wall of Bakersfield College has committed his efforts to promoting random acts of kindness among all people;

Whereas the people of the United States should be encouraged to practice random acts of kindness, in the spirit of compassion, kindness, and goodwill toward all persons; and

Whereas February 14 is annually celebrated as Valentine's Day: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that the week beginning February 12, 1995, is designated as "National Random Acts of Kindness Week", and the President is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe the week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

Back to Top