Political Quotes

Kweisi Mfume: “The amendment that I had hoped to offer was an amendment that would have brought balance to this debate in which all of…”

On the recordFebruary 23, 1994
The amendment that I had hoped to offer was an amendment that would have brought balance to this debate in which all of us have a sense of outrage and revulsion at remarks that were made at Kean College, but many of us also have a sense of outrage and revulsion at remarks made by a Member of the other body recently in which black people were referred to as darkies, Hispanics were referred to as wetbacks, and Africans were referred to as cannibals. I think that, in order that we have some balance before us, not to even mention the issue of free speech which is legitimate, that is why I wanted to offer this amendment, and I regret that the gentleman would not accept it.
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Kweisi Mfume
Democratic · Maryland

Editor's note · Context

Mfume addresses the need for balance in the debate over offensive remarks made by public figures.

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