Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 1405, congratulating the people of 17 African nations on 50 years of independence and recognizing the importance of Africa to the United States. Fifty years ago, 17 African nations threw off the yoke of colonialism and established themselves as independent nations. Unfortunately, the past half century has been anything but peaceful or joyful for all too many of these states. Only two of the 17 nations we celebrate today--Mali and Benin--are considered to be free. One, Somalia, is virtually a collapsed state, and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a brutal civil war that continues in the east has claimed millions of lives and has spawned some of the worst human rights atrocities known to man. Yet there have been some successes, Mr. Speaker. African economies are growing at rates reminiscent of the great Asian tigers. Citizens are becoming increasingly aware of their rights and are demanding a greater stake in their economic and political futures, demanding accountability and driving the 'Big Men of Africa' from office. Still, in Africa, independence has proven to be a necessary but insufficient condition for freedom.”