Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume. House Resolution 1088 shines a light on the untold horrors men and women with albinism have faced and continue to face in East Africa where human beings with albinism are butchered and their body parts sold for profit. These acts of brutal murder are best told through the story of a brave Tanzanian mother, one of the few survivors of the attacks. I had the honor of meeting a survivor of one of these attacks, a young woman from Tanzania named Mariamu Stanford, who epitomizes the essence of bravery. These horrific acts, like the crime committed against Mariamu, are perpetrated by shamans who believe that the body parts of people with albinism have magical powers and can be mixed in potions to bring the buyer good luck. Rural villages have strong incentive to harvest the limbs of their neighbors with albinism because a single limb can sell for as much as $2,000, a king's ransom in Tanzania's countryside. Mariamu, who has albinism, is one of the few survivors of these attacks. Her story is one of fear, horror, and unbelievable courage. She told me her story through an interpreter the last day of the first session of this Congress in December. One night in October of 2008, when Mariamu was sleep with her toddler son, a group of machete-wielding men from her own village broke into her home and attacked her.…”