Political Quotes

“this House was so shocked by church burnings in recent weeks that it last week passed a bill to add to Federal law enforcement authority, and I want to commend the gentleman from Illinois, Chairman Hyde, and the gentleman from Michigan, ranking member Conyers, of the Committee on the Judiciary, for the leadership they took and also Chairman Conyers for the Congressional Black Caucus hearing that shed additional light on this matter, including the need for prevention. In my years as a youngster in the civil rights movement, I never saw this kind of systematic racist church burning. This House's response does it honor. A few high-profile prosecutions are now in order, but, Mr. Speaker, I have come to the floor because I want something more. Martin Luther King would have wanted us to use his life amidst the polarization and balkanization that has contributed to these burnings. I come to the floor to call the House's attention to two events and to two people, both youngsters, who deserve the notice of this House. One is Billy Shawn Baxley, a 17-year-old white youngster who has confessed to burning a church; and the other is Keshia Thomas, an 18-year-old black girl who saved a pro-Klan white man at an anti-Klan rally a few days ago. Both are reported in the papers, and I know nothing more than what the papers tell me, but the Nation ought to know more.…”