Kendrick Meek: “I oppose this resolution as someone who loves this country very deeply. Perhaps one would have had to have grown up…”

“I oppose this resolution as someone who loves this country very deeply. Perhaps one would have had to have grown up under segregation in the deep South, as I did, to truly appreciate how much this Nation means to me and how honored I am to serve my country in Congress. As one of the most senior Members of Congress, few have seen what I have seen in this Nation's history. I remember clearly the Japanese preemptive attack, or first strike, against the United States that plunged us into World War II. We called it a sneak attack and an act of cowardice. They called it a preemptive attack against a foreign enemy that threatened their interests. I also remember clearly when we went to war in South Korea, and after 50 years we are still in Korea. Since I have been in Congress these past 10 years, I have supported every Defense authorization and Defense appropriations bill, every one of them. I feel very strongly that we need a strong national defense, and we need to be prepared, and indeed we are. We are the strongest Nation in the world, and number two is not even close to us. I believe that our Nation sets the standard for the world.”