Political Quotes

“And still I rise. I rise today, Madam Speaker, to take a stand for liberty and justice for all against bigotry and hatred. I rise to call to our attention, Madam Speaker, that the refusal to resign because of blatant bigotry is a symptom, the refusal to resign when it is obvious, intuitively obvious to the most casual observer, that there is the bigotry. The refusal to resign when there is clear and convincing evidence of bigotry, when there is guilt beyond all doubt, when there is a smoking gun, the refusal to resign under these circumstances is a symptom. The problem is at the Presidential level. It is the refusal to take on a President who has exhibited bigotry in policy. When we allow bigotry in policy to proceed with immunity, we allow persons to believe that they, too, can emulate that which comes from the highest office in the land. Madam Speaker, this level of bigotry in policy cannot be tolerated. You have, in Virginia, a Klansman and blackface next to each other in a yearbook. It has been acknowledged as that of the Governor. With that acknowledgment and with that additional indication that it was done on a previous occasion, blackface, there is enough evidence not only to ask that the Governor resign, but to demand that he do so. But I understand why this level of bigotry is going to be tolerated to a certain extent, because we don't want to take on the President.…”