Political Quotes

“And still I rise, a very proud and liberated Democrat, unbought and unbossed. I rise today with a question, Madam Speaker. The question is: Should the taxpayers of this country, the good people of the United States of America, should their tax dollars be utilized to pay for the upkeep, the maintenance, and the utilities on a building that is named in honor of a bigot and a racist? Should our tax dollars be used for such a purpose? Madam Speaker, let me share something with you. This is the Senate Russell Office Building. This is how the Russell Senate Office Building looks. It has a certain degree of majesty associated with it. This is where Senators do their work. The press is found in this building, in an area just off of a rotunda. This is the Russell Senate Office Building. This is what it looks like to the naked eye. This is what people see when they drive by. Unfortunately, there is much to be seen that the eye cannot reveal to the brain. The building named after this man, Senator Richard Russell, is a symbol of national shame. And I think that because it is a symbol of national shame--and I shall say more to you about it, Madam Speaker, as I do what I am about to do, which is to label it for what it is: a symbol of national shame--we ought not pretend that this building is a place that ought to honor a person with such a name. It is a symbol of national shame paid for with tax dollars. These lights and the utilities are paid for with tax dollars.…”