Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley hosted a June 7 benefit for Operation Respect, which was created in 1999 catapulted by the song “Don’t Laugh at Me,” introduced to Peter Yarrow by his daughter Bethany Yarrow and subsequently recorded by Peter, Paul and
Mary. Distributed to schools worldwide, Operation Respect’s free resources and training for anti-bullying and respect for differences help students to resolve conflict peacefully, celebrate diversity and build community with their peers. Former Secretary of State John Kerry and Sen. Harris Wofford spoke and were honored for their support. Yarrow led a rousing sing-along that prompted Kerry to remark that after hearing Yarrow he could “believe in the country’s ability to weather a storm.”