Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, and still I rise. I rise proud to be an American, proud to have the opportunity to stand here in the Congress of the United States of America and address issues of importance to the world. I am proud to say that as an American, I salute the flag. I say the Pledge of Allegiance. I sing the national anthem. I stand for the anthem, but, Mr. Speaker, as I always remind people, as a liberated Democrat, I remind them, the greatness of America will not be measured by whether the Al Green's of the world will stand and salute the flag or will stand and sing the national anthem. The greatness of America will be measured by whether the Al Green's of the world will defend those who choose not to stand, who choose not to sing, who choose not to salute. I will defend their rights as Americans not to participate in many things that I participate in. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that when I tell people I love my country, a good many would say to me, why would you love a country that segregated you? Why would you love a country that required you to sit in the back of the bus, the balcony of a movie? Why would you love a country that has treated you so badly and so poorly when you were a child? I was the son of a segregated South. The laws that the Constitution recognized for me, my friends and neighbors denied access to those laws, if you will.…”