Peter H. Bell: “I find it appalling that the majority leader of this body can in one breath suggest that our Texas heroes, the 53 men…”

“I find it appalling that the majority leader of this body can in one breath suggest that our Texas heroes, the 53 men and women of conviction currently in Ardmore, Oklahoma, are unpatriotic and in the next breath suggest the Federal authorities be brought in to force them to pass someone's own political agenda, because what the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) suggested yesterday is unpatriotic is actually an impressive example of the very fabric that holds this Nation together. It is everything our fathers and grandfathers have fought and died for in two great wars. Mr. Speaker, is freedom of expression unpatriotic? Is the freedom to take a stand against recklessness unpatriotic? Mr. Speaker, when Rosa Parks refused to sit in the back of the bus, was that unpatriotic? The willingness to take a stand for what is right is what defines America. I would like to applaud my Democratic colleagues in the Texas House from Houston for having the courage to stand up to the gentleman from Texas' (Mr. DeLay) political agenda: Garnett Coleman, Rick Noriega, Jessica Farrar, Scott Hochberg, Joe Deshotel, Kevin Bailey, Harold Dutton, Joe Moreno and Senfronia Thompson. They are heroes, and the people of Texas are with them.”