Political Quotes

“today I rise to honor former Czech President and renowned human rights activist Vaclav Havel. Vaclav Havel died last month, and I was sad to note that the news of his death was overshadowed by not only the holidays but also by media coverage of Kim Jong Il's death. The irony--that one of the great leaders of the third wave of democracy, passed at virtually the same time as one of the century's most dangerous, repressive tyrants--is striking. Eulogies to Havel from everyday Czechs, European and world leaders, and admirers across the globe have poured forth in the past month, and for me, some of the most touching have come from the Czech Romani community. The Roma community, which is often ostracized from and disenchanted with mainstream politics, embraced Havel as a leader and a friend. And indeed Emil Scuka, the Czech president of the International Romani Union, said ``Vaclav Havel was not afraid to publicly stand up for Romani people even though he knew he could lose a great deal politically by doing so because the public wouldn't like it. He never made such political calculations in advance . . . With the death of Vaclav Havel, all of us Romani people are losing a great defender, a fighter for freedom and human rights. We are losing the certainty that when things are at their worst, Vaclav Havel will help us.…”