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1133431
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10/10/75 - HUD Awards Ceremony
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1133431
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document
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10/10/75 - HUD Awards Ceremony
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Carla A. Hills Speeches
Speeches
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1133431
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10
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1975-10-10
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10
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1975
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10
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1975-10-10
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10
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1975
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The original documents are located in Box 1, folder "10/10/75 - HUD Awards Ceremony"
of the Carla A. Hills Speeches at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 1 of the Carla A. Hills Speeches at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
# 26.
HUD AWARDS CEREMONY
OCTOBER 10, 1975
ALL TOO OFTEN AT VITAL CEREMONIES OF THIS KIND --
INVOLVING THOSE WHO SHOULDER THE WHEEL IN A COMMON
ENDEAVOR -- THE DESIGNATED SPEAKER GETS UP AND WAXES
ELOQUENT OVER TOGETHERNESS.
I HAVE NO QUARREL WITH THAT,
NOT ONLY DO I THINK THAT "TOGETHER, WE CAN" WITH
THE TOUGH PROBLEMS WE FACE TODAY AT HUD -- I THINK "TOGETHER,
WE MUST".
BECAUSE -- ALTHOUGH IT HAS BECOME A CLASSIC CLICHE --
BEN FRANKLIN'S OLD WARNING STILL APPLIES: "WE MUST ALL
HANG TOGETHER --- OR ASSUREDLY, WE SHALL ALL HANG SEPARATELY."
BUT THE PROBLEM WITH TOO MUCH "TOGETHERNESS" IS THAT
IT CAN LEAD TO "TOGETHERNESS OF THINKING" -- OR "GROUP-THINK"
AS MODERN BEHAVIORISTS CALL IT -- WHICH PUTS A HIGHER VALUE
ON "CONFORMING" THAN IT DOES "PERFORMING".
GERALO R FORD LIBRARY
-2-
THE SIGNIFICANT THING ABOUT THIS ANNUAL EVENT IN
THE LIFE OF HUD, IS THAT WE GATHER HERE TO HONOR -- NOT so
MUCH THE TOGETHERNESS OF OUR MISSION WHICH ADMITTEDLY IS
GRAND, BUT THE INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVERS WHO HAVE ELEVATED THE
SIGHTS OF OUR MISSION BY THEIR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE.
AND, WE HONOR THEM, NOT ONLY AS PERSONS WHO HAVE
ADVANCED OUR COMMON GOALS HERE AT THE DEPARTMENT, BUT AS
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PROVED -- AND KEEP ON PROVING -- BY
THEIR DAILY EXAMPLE, THAT OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WORKS.
IT WORKS BECAUSE THEY -- AND YOU -- MAKE IT WORK.
You WHO SERVE OUR NATION -- IN THIS ROOM -- AND
INDEED THROUGHOUT THE FEDERAL ESTABLISHMENT -- CAN SEE IN
THE AWARDS WE PRESENT TODAY, A FIRM AND POSITIVE ANSWER TO
THE UNWARRANTED CHARGES TOO OFTEN LEVELED AT THE SO-CALLED
"BUREAUCRATS" IN GOVERNMENT.
"GOVERNMENT" ISN'T JUST A LIBRARY OF STATUTES --
IT IS PEOPLE -- DEDICATED PEOPLE -- LIKE THOSE WE HONOR HERE
-- AND IT'S THE MARVELOUS DEDICATION OF THESE PEOPLE THAT
MAKE HUD A DEPARTMENT OF WHICH WE CAN BE so PROUD.
GENERAL FORD CIBRANT
-3-
IT ISN'T A "TIME CLOCK" THAT KEEPS OUR PARKING
SPACES FILLED WELL BEFORE AND WELL AFTER NORMAL WORKING
HOURS AND ALL DAY SATURDAYS. IT IS INDUSTRY, DEVOTION,
AND COMPASSION,
IN THAT CONTEXT, THIS YEAR'S AWARD WINNERS -- ALTHOUGH
INDIVIDUALLY HONORED -- HONOR ALL OF US. FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENT
IS OUR ACHIEVEMENT BECAUSE TOGETHER WE SEEK THE SAME NOBLE
GOALS -- TO HOUSE OUR POOR, TO HEAL OUR CITIES, AND TO EXPAND
FREEDOM OF CHOICE,
AT THE SAME TIME THEIR SUCCESS IS THE SUCCESS OF A
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT THAT RUNS ON INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE.
THE NOMINATION AND SELECTION PROCESS WAS LONG AND
DIFFICULT, PROVING THAT THESE FINE ACHIEVERS HAVE MUCH
COMPETITIVE COMPANY AT HUD.
I AM, AND I KNOW YOU ARE, VERY PROUD OF THEM.
THEY REPRESENT A KIND OF "TOGETHERNESS" WE CAN ALL
ESPOUSE,
ERALD