Elijah Cummings: “As we conclude, I think when one looks at the stories that the gentlewoman told about when she was a little girl and…”

“As we conclude, I think when one looks at the stories that the gentlewoman told about when she was a little girl and would see what the veterans would return to, and the water fountain that said ``Whites Only,'' the fact is that so many of these soldiers, think about the Buffalo Soldiers and many others. Although they knew that this country was not necessarily treating them fairly, they still stood up. As a matter of fact, many of them were beating down the doors trying to stand up for this country. Not only do we pause here tonight to thank the living veterans, but we thank those and their spirits who may have gone on who were fighting for a country that they knew was not necessarily treating them right, but they were always fighting for their future. They were fighting for generations yet unborn. Let me say that when one thinks about somebody putting their life on the line and knowing that they would return to a situation in this country where they were not treated fairly, but puts their life on the line today so that, not only their offspring, but even the offspring of those that might not have treated them right could have freedom and could have opportunity and could have convenience, that is a powerful statement. It really is. So we come here not only to honor the veterans who can hear us tonight, but we come here also to honor those who have gone on and who dreamed a dream that the world would be better that they were fighting for.”