First Lady speaks urges young people to avoid gangs

By Vernon Clark
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

First Lady Laura Bush spoke this morning at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Philadelphia, urging the community to reach out to young boys to help them avoid gangs, smoking cigarettes and taking illegal drugs.


"We want to show young people the ideal of manhood," Bush said.

"We do know that positive activities and the family and community help prevent" crime, drugs and gang activity.

Bush addressed about 150 people including children at the club in the Germantown section of North Philadelphia.

She praised Boys and Girls Clubs for providing a safe place for children to gather, learn and have fun.

In his State of the Union address on Wednesday night, President Bush said his wife would lead a nationwide effort "to help organizations keep young people out of gangs, and show young men an ideal of manhood that respects women and rejects violence."

The president proposed a three-year initiative focused on cities like Philadelphia, which has suffered deaths related to gang violence.