Political Quotes

“I try to come to the floor each week to address the issue of the ongoing genocide in Darfur. I am troubled that so much time has passed and so little has been done. When a great nation such as the United States declares a genocide in some part of the world, I think we have a moral responsibility to do something. Imagine, transport yourself back in time to the genocides that have occurred in the past. Imagine a declaration by the United States of a genocide involving Jewish people and others during the Holocaust of World War II. Imagine that we had recognized that was going on and announced that our Government knew it was going on and ask yourself, if we had done nothing at that point, having made the announcement, what it says about the United States. President Bush and his administration have done the right thing in declaring a genocide in Darfur. The President, a few weeks ago, gave a speech in which he said we have to go beyond this declaration to do something. Yet it has not happened. I want to give the President and the Secretary General of the United Nations adequate time to respond in a way that will save lives, but as we wait and negotiate and think about it, people suffer. Millions remain displaced, unable to return home. Humanitarian assistance coming into Darfur continues to hang by a thread. It could be snapped at any moment by escalating violence or chaos in the region.”