National Brotherhood Week, February 17-23, 1980
Message of the President.
February 16, 1980

Sponsored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews, National Brotherhood Week has become a traditional appeal to the social conscience of all Americans and a source of strength in our continuing work of building a society rooted in mutual respect, cooperation and goodwill.

Last year, in my statement on this occasion, I said that brotherhood and sisterhood begin with respect. Such respect should both inspire and characterize all our civic and humanitarian activities.

The current slogan for Brotherhood Week points out that "Every bigot was once a child without prejudice." Guided by these fitting words, let us use this observance to look deep within ourselves. Let us shed the layers of bigotry and prejudice we may have acquired and recapture the mutual respect that should be the cornerstone of our national life. Only then can we hope to have the kind of society foreseen by our Founding Fathers. Only then can we effectively build a world free of strife and secure for human progress. Let us join in a reaffirmation of our commitment to the noble principles which Brotherhood Week evokes.
JIMMY CARTER