Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Congressman Evans, for leading this Special Order and for yielding to me, especially on a matter this important. As I reflect on the last 200 or so days in this country, I am saddened. {time} 1930 The truth of the matter is I always thought this country was better than this. I thought that we had so many people, not just African Americans, but we had people of like mind, like Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner, who gave their lives and who sacrificed blood, sweat, and tears so that this country could be a more perfect Union, so that I could go to some of the best schools in the country, so that I could dream the impossible dream, so that I could stand on the floor of this House and speak my mind, introduce legislation, but, more importantly, fight for the ideals that make this country an exceptional country. It is so easy for our President and our colleagues to say America's exceptional. Well, it is, but you have to understand how it got to be exceptional, because it didn't start off that way. In fact, we came here on boats. We survived middle passage. We built this Capitol as free labor. We have given as much blood, sweat, and tears as any people in this country.…”