First, I am a man who grew up in an abusive home. I could not understand why Mom would not call the cops or any one else to subdue my father's violence. I did not like rough housing because I usually lost. When I was about 12, I was looking for a role male model who was both gentle and yet playful. Mr. Rogers caught both my and my father's attention. When I witnessed that my father disliked him, I knew that I had selected the correct person as a role model.

I thought that every man should be a gentleman. I looked at this word as a combination of the words gentle and man. I realized that by studying gentleness that I would be an unusual person. I have kept to that goal.

I read Aristophene's Lysistrata in high school. I realized then that world peace was achievable. I love the concept of children and women being able to move about in the world without fear of physical threats and harm. I was recently pleased to note that the Congolese women had had a day without sex as a means as detering violence against women.

I salute, honor, and applaud your efforts to eliminate violence