Eva M. Clayton: “I want to rise to say that I am offended and think that I should speak out against the hatred and the bigotry and the…”

“I want to rise to say that I am offended and think that I should speak out against the hatred and the bigotry and the substance of which we condemn today, but I also want to say that I think we will do ourselves a disservice, those that have spoken out against the bigotry, which we may be the victims of, to use this House as a way to correct that. I think the Constitution is too precious, too precious to even speak our views, to speak out against those who would be offended. I think as an offended citizen who feels that this indeed has been an offense to any civilized person, we must bear in mind that the first amendment is a very precious right, and that right should be protected. Mr. Speaker, I urge Members, when we vote, to consider the right that America is very well known for; that is a right even for our enemy to condemn us in the most hateful way. This is America. I urge Members to support the first amendment.”