On the recordMay 19, 2010
I am proud to join my colleagues on the floor of this Chamber today. Here, in our Nation's Capital, we gather to confront shared challenges. We celebrate our great leaders, and mourn fallen heroes. Here, we carry out the hard work of self-government. We try to make this union a little more perfect every day. It is messy. It is difficult. We make mistakes, and at times we fall short. In any other country, these flaws and missteps might be fatal--but not in the United States of America. Here, we are defined by our ability to correct injustice to confront problems and move ahead peacefully, with respect for the rule of law even when those problems are great. Mr. President, much of our history has been written right here in this city. But in some ways, the city itself tells two divergent stories: More than two centuries ago, the foundation of this country was laid by a group of American patriots, who chose this land for their new Capitol. They fought--and many died--for principles of freedom and equality. They framed the greatest, most progressive system of government in the history of the world. And then, in an irony both tragic and unjust, the foundation of this very building the heart of our democracy was laid by enslaved African Americans. So, from the very beginning, our Nation has struggled to live up to its highest ideals.
