Political Quotes

“I commend and thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina [Mrs. Clayton] and all of those who have joined with her for her leadership in expressing our collective outrage at what has been occurring in communities across this country. Now is the time for people of good will regardless of religion or their political persuasion or their region of the country to join together to condemn the outrage that has occurred and the attempt at intimidation steeped in hate on which it is based. It is not enough merely to condemn. For while we are all outraged by what has occurred, we know that simply expressing our fury through resolution is only a first step. It is time to match our actions with our words and resolutions. So it is extremely important that the Church Arsons Prevention Act introduced by our colleague, the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Conyers], that would strengthen our ability to fight this kind of arson, be enacted at the earliest possible date in this Congress. We should move forward on this legislation to halt attacks on our communities. Our communities are suffering, and they should look to our national leaders with confidence, for we have the responsibility to prove, as Barbara Jordan would say, that America is as good as its promise. In keeping this promise, we can be inspired by the congregations who refuse to be intimidated.”