Date: 1981-03-31
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. the tragic shooting of President Reagan and three other persons yesterday is deplored by all Americans. An assault on the President of the United States is perhaps the most serious crime in our society. When such acts of violence occur. all logic is defied. The attack was a senseless ant and it was a shameful act. I find it dificult to accept the inevitability of acts of violence against a President of the United States. But the profession of politics is a dangerous one. and all public officials. especially those who are elected public officials. face this possibility as they must go about in this constitutional Republic to meet and mingle with people in all walks of life. I find it difficult to accept the often propounded thought that we live today in a sick society. I do not believe that we live today in a sick society. I think there are some sick individuals. but not a sick society. At a time such as this. one searches for answers. They prove to be elusive. S 2974 CO This is the ninth attack on a President in the history of our Nation. When Thomas Jefferson came to Washington as our third President. we are told that when someone knocked on the door of the President. he often would answer the knock himself. Only that front door stood between him and the public. There was not even a fence around the Presidents house. That was in 1801. Now. 180 years later. it is to President Reagans credit and it is a tribute to him that he likes to meet the public. that he nearly always stops to answer one more question from the press. and in such instances little stands between him and a potential assassin. Our hearts go out to the family of the President. and we- are cheered that he came through surgery in good condition. We are cheered by the account of the progress of the President that has been given to us by the Senate majority leader. We are cheered to know that the President will sooh be back at the helm of Government. Our hearts go out to the families of Press Secretary Jim Brady. Secret Service officer Timothy J. McCarthy. and police officer Thomas K. Delahanty. Our thoughts are with them. and we wish them a full recovery. I also wish to compliment the orderli. ness with which the administration has worked during these frenetic and trying hours. The President laughed and Joked as he was on his way to the operating room on yesterday. He exhibited that cheerfulness that we all have come to associate with him. I admired the quiet dignity and poise demonstrated by the Vice President when he spoke to the Nation last evening briefly. I thought that his demeanor. bearing. manner. and words were highly becoming of a Vice President and of a leader. This morning I believe that we should refuse to accept the inevitability of such horrible situations and to renew our quest for those elusive answers as to how and why. and we should persevere in the effort. The moment will pass and with it some of the immediate tensions and passions. but we should not let this deter us in continuing to search for answers. and we must begin with the premise with which I began my remarks. We do not live in a sick society. Our society has some sick individuals and madmen. and It seems that we have not yet found the answer as to how we might deal with such.