Political Quotes

“Henry Wadsworth Longfellow writes in part: Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art to dust returneth, Was not spoken of the soul. John still lives in most of us because his soul, his spirit, and his heart still live. Mr. Speaker, like all Americans, I reacted with deep sadness to the passing of my friend, Congressman John Lewis. John and I served together for 12 years in Congress, and I was so proud to have known him as a colleague, a mentor, and a friend. A lot has been said about the man that John Lewis was, but what strikes me the most is the man that he never became. For a person who faced virulent hatred, he was never a man who hated. For a person who stood as a focal point for an entire movement, he never focused the lens on himself. For a person born to segregation, he never excluded others from the movement for equal rights. For a person whose voice pierced the air like a foghorn, he never spoke empty words. For a person to whom grace was too rarely extended in his life, he never allowed himself to withhold it from those around him. For a person who was at the center of the Nation's gravest affairs, he never passed up an opportunity to laugh or to dance. From his refusals, he became the man whom we admire so profoundly. John's death comes at a turbulent time for our country, and his loss is sharply felt by the many who still fight for equality in our country.…”