Political Quotes

“Today is one of those days that we set aside to pay tribute to our forefathers, their history, and what they have done for America. When you consider all of the groups that have come to America and when you consider all of the contributions that have been made, there is no question that the contributions of African Americans to this country is so immense and so extraordinary it cannot be recorded in its entirety anywhere in the pages of American history. It is just that vast. But when we think of the manner in which African Americans were brought to this country, we think of slaves. We think of someone who had no freedom. We think of someone who was physically restrained and in many cases physically incarcerated. But the loss of freedom is not just being physically restrained or physically incarcerated. When a person mentally sets up a defense because of rejection or because he is treated differently, that also is a form of slavery. When a person is denied the right to vote, when a person's vote is not counted, that also is a loss of freedom. It is a shame and an unpardonable sin that in the year 2001 African Americans still do not have rights and freedoms that all other Americans enjoy because of the views of this country and its majority.”