Lugar on Cultural Concerns

From his Presidential Announcement speech given April 19, 1995 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Peoples from around the world regard the United States as a force for good and a refuge from the tragedies that afflict so many of their homelands. But even as the meaning of what it is to be an American still shines brightly, the moral and family values that have been the basis for our success have shown signs of erosion.

The results of this erosion can be seen throughout our society. One million adolescent women become pregnant every year. One in four babies delivered in America are born to unwed mothers. About 12 percent of American students drop out of school before completing a high school degree. Since 1988, teenage boys have been more likely to die from gunshot wounds than from all natural causes combined. And the typical child will watch 8,000 murders and more than 100,000 acts of violence on television before finishing elementary school.

The tragedy of these trends is felt by every American. We must learn anew and teach our children -- by what we say, and by how we act -- what we know to be right and what we know to be wrong.

The keys to a life of fulfillment are personal responsibility, not pleasure seeking. Integrity and faithfulness, and not their opposites.

Self-discipline, not self-indulgence.

I will work tirelessly with community leaders, with clergy of all faith, with those in the media and entertainment, and all who must be enlisted in our endeavor.

A president must rise to the challenge of reinvigorating American moral character, just as presidents in the past have used their inherent power to lead the nation through other crises of national spirit.