Political Quotes

“And still I rise, very proud to be a Member of the House of Representatives and very proud to be a citizen of the United States of America. I love my country. I love it because of what it stands for. I love the words in the Pledge of Allegiance: liberty and justice for all. I love the words in the Declaration of Independence: all persons created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I love my country notwithstanding the fact that my country has not always loved me. I am a son of the segregated South. There were times in my lifetime when I had to go to back doors to enter facilities, when I had to drink from colored water fountains, and when I literally had to step off the sidewalk so that others could pass. {time} 1200 Notwithstanding all of this, I love my country. Today, I rise to call to the attention of my country and all who are assembled the fact that August 20 is Slavery Remembrance Day because it was on August 20 of 1619 that the White Lion docked in a place called Point Comfort, near where we now call Norfolk, Virginia. On the White Lion, there were 20 persons of African ancestry. These were the first 20 persons introduced into slavery by way of the colonies in what would become the United States of America. Notwithstanding August 20 of 1619, which was a seminal moment in time that has impacted the rest of time in this country, I still rise and say: I love my country.…”