The Pure Love Alliance took part in the American Leadership Conference entitled "Reviving the Family." The conference was held at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, DC, sponsored by the American Constitutional Committee and the Washington Times Foundation. The event was attended by over 300 guests, and each of the 50 states was represented.

There were several major political, religious and social leaders present from across the country, including: the Rev. Dr. Jerry Falwell, Rev. Dr. Milton Reid of the Martin Luther King Family Life Institute, Rev. Floyd Flake (former New York Congressman), Nevada’s Sen. Maurice Washington, Mr. Robert Woodson from the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise, and Mr. Charles Ballard of the Institute for Responsible Fatherhood, and many more.

The focus of the three days of discussions and presentations was to call attention to the moral and social crisis of our nation. Also: to point out that the situation has become so grave that it can no longer be ignored. The solution is not just reforming our present failed social welfare system. The solution is not just looking back to the past and trying to revive the "good old days" which, after all, led to today.

There needs to be a revival of the fundamental moral codes and ethics, starting with the most basic unit of life itself: the family. The solution to the alarming numbers of violent crimes, non-marital pregnancy, spread of sexually transmitted disease, rates of divorce and spousal abuse, and the declining social status of our country, is to strengthen the family.

It is within the family that we learn how to be a good citizen. With dysfunctional and broken families, we have dysfunctional, broken and hurt individuals. This problem is not isolated to the families which fall into the lower income brackets, but affects all of us as a nation.

Mr. Woodson, author of the new book The Triumphs of Joseph, told the conference: "This is not just an inner-city problem belonging to any particular race; it reaches each one of us regardless of age, race, religion or social status. Therefore, the responsibility lies with all of us as well. We can only fix the problem completely, if we go to the root of where it begins."

There were many solutions offered by different individuals and organizations. Rev. Jerry Falwell stated: "It is the responsibility of each minister in this country to use the power of their pulpit to preach about the revitalization of the family." He said that "the situation today has gotten so bad because the religious community has been silent too long."

Rev. Floyd Flake said that everyone, young people especially, needs to learn about responsibility and hard work, and the meaning of family love and support. For these values there is no substitute. The place to learn these is in the family. It is from the example of his own father, who did whatever it took to provide for his family, that Rev. Flake gained the conviction, tools and moral values to become a success in his own life.

The True Family Values Ministry offered a solution through their program of commitment and rededication to marriage and their four-point pledge: 1) commitment to absolute fidelity, 2) commitment to remain married, no divorce, 3) commitment to raise their children sexually pure, and 4) commitment to work anywhere possible to uplift the family.

The Pure Love Alliance also gave a presentation about the absolute necessity of teaching young people how to live abstinent lives prior to marriage. The solution to solving the rates of teen violence and suicide, eliminating teen pregnancy, stopping the spread of STD’s among young people, and raising up a generation of mature, secure and healthy young people is through abstinence and character-building education.

As a result of our attendance, we have been able to begin to build a nationwide network of people concerned about the issue of abstinence and character education for young people. Through our new friends and contacts, we are applying for local grants and creating programs to suit the specific needs of those communities.

Michelle Myers is the PLA Public Relations Director in DC.

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