Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share the story of Hadar Goldin. Hadar was born in the Galilee region of Israel in 1991. He was a gifted young man--a happy person with a lively personality. He was an accomplished painter and, I am told, an inspiration to everybody that knew him. He served as a lieutenant in the Givati Brigade of the IDF. Mr. Speaker, I did not know Hadar personally, but, during my time serving alongside the IDF, I knew so many who were just like him. I met some of the most humble and compassionate people that I have ever known. I chose to serve alongside the IDF because our friends in Israel fight for the same values that we fight to protect in our country: human dignity, freedom, and liberty. I can tell you from experience that we soldiers often label our uniforms with sentiments that are important to us. Hadar had his rifle belt embroidered with the words ``strength and humility.'' He fought not out of hatred for his enemy but to protect his homeland and his family. He used the embroidery as a reminder that a soldier has the courage to use his weapon when needed, but even more importantly, has the humility to restrain from its use in the name of peace. But on August 1, 2014, when Hadar was only 23 years old, he was killed by Hamas terrorists, just 2 hours after a ceasefire had been declared in the Operation Protective Edge war in Gaza. Hamas terrorists maliciously dragged his body away from his home and into an underground tunnel.…”