Political Quotes

“Madam President, I know President Obama is visiting Vietnam. I want to speak briefly about that, but I also want to comment about the contribution many Vietnamese Americans are making in the United States and particularly back home in Texas. They demonstrate the vividness and the life of the pursuit of the American dream because these are some of the most accomplished people in our communities back in Texas. Many people don't realize how big of a Vietnamese community Texas has. Many are surprised when I tell them that Vietnamese is the third most commonly spoken language in Texas. Admittedly, English, even Texas English, is No. 1 and then obviously Spanish, with 38 percent of our population of Hispanic origin--but it is still a sizable, vibrant part of our State and our communities. I have been particularly impressed by the passion and drive of those from Vietnam who have now made America their home--how passionate they are about things we perhaps take for granted, such as the same freedoms we enjoy here that folks back in Vietnam do not enjoy. As a matter of fact, it is important to remember, even as President Obama is traveling to Vietnam, that Vietnam is a brutal Communist regime that continues to disregard basic human rights. Sure, our economic relationships could bear fruit--and in fact I am encouraged by that and would encourage that--but we cannot forget that, at bottom, the regime is Communist, and it disregards basic human rights.…”