David Funderburk: “Mr. Speaker, I am speaking today because I care deeply about the Romanian people and the fate of the country where I…”

“Mr. Speaker, I am speaking today because I care deeply about the Romanian people and the fate of the country where I spent almost 6 years of my life as a Fulbright Scholar, university professor doing research, USIA officer and U.S. Ambassador. It would have been easier for me to follow the stampede, business and trade interest. When I was the U.S. Ambassador under Ceausescu's harsh regime, conventional wisdom in the media, the Congress, like today, and the State Department was that Ceausescu was a great guy who was a maverick in foreign policy and his friendship should be cultivated and rewarded. Many here were anxious to curry his favor and reward his tyranny. So it is no surprise that former ambassadors and many congressmen have fallen again for the slick PR, money, pressure, propaganda job of the current Romanian Ambassador, favored son of the old Communist elite trained for just this purpose. As usual it works and money, trade, and businesses talk louder than values, principles, human rights, and freedom. Many were on the wrong side during Ceausescu's day, and now they are again on the wrong side in Iliescu's day, against the democrats, against the growth of economic freedom and privatization, against press freedom, against human rights.”