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[Pages H5079-H5080]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SIGN ON TO IMPEACH
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Green) for 5 minutes.
Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, and still I rise because I love my
country, and I rise now knowing that we are some 69 days since the
Mueller report, which means that we are some 69 days with the President
being above the law since the Mueller report was made public.
I rise today with a special message. This message has to do with
leadership. I rise today with this message, and I would like to harken
back, if I may, to April 16 of 1963. I have my mnemonic notes in front
of me. April 16 of 1963 is when Dr. King wrote his letter from the
Birmingham City Jail.
Dr. King did not wake up one morning and decide: I think I will go
down to Birmingham and get arrested, and I will write a letter from the
Birmingham Jail. That was hardly the case.
Dr. King was responding to a letter from some of the leading citizens
in Birmingham. These were persons who were cloaked with the robe of the
clergy. These are people who had moral positions. They took firm,
hardcore positions when it came to morality.
These were the persons who would set the standards, if you will, and
maintain the standards for morality. There were eight of them. They
decided to write a letter to Dr. King, explaining to him why he should
not do what he was about to do in Birmingham.
By the way, they were also aided and abetted by some of the leading
Negro citizens. In fact, in their letter, they mentioned that we
should--meaning them at that time--allow persons to meet with our
leading Negro citizens--they didn't say ``leading'' but ``our
Negroes''--and let's try to work this out with dialogue.
I marveled at how persons in positions of great leadership with great
responsibility can be so wrong on some of the crucial issues of our
time.
Dear brothers and sisters--I say ``brothers and sisters'' because I
believe that there is but one race, and that is the human race. I think
that all persons are created equal. As Dr. King put it, on God's
keyboard, we are created equal, from a bass black to a treble white. I
think that we are all created equal, and I call you brothers and
sisters.
Dear brothers and sisters, this issue concerning these babies at the
border, I just thank God that the media has finally discovered this
issue and is taking it and bringing it to the forefront, to the extent
that they are. I thank C-SPAN for the opportunity to be heard, C-SPAN
and all the outlets that allow this opinion to be voiced.
I am pleased that this is being taken up now by the major media
because what is happening to these babies at the border is
unconscionable.
Some months ago, after visiting the border, I indicated that the
ASPCA would not allow animals to be housed in the conditions that we
see at the border currently. This is a tragedy not in the making but a
tragedy that continues to exist because of inaction and because of
actions that have been taken by the Chief Executive Officer of the
United States of America in an attempt to deter people from coming to
this country.
How heartless can someone be to use babies as a means of deterring
people from coming to the country?
I am here today because I love my country. I believe that we cannot
allow this to continue. Some 69 days above the law for this President,
he knows that we are not going to do anything. This is why he behaves
the way that he does. He knows that he can do this without guardrails
because, back when he fired Mr. Comey and it was called to our
attention that this was obstruction, we did nothing.
I thank God that Members are signing on now and understand the
importance of it. The question is no longer: Who is going to be among
the first to sign on to impeach? The question is: Who will be the last
to sign on to impeach?
I beg all who have not to please give serious consideration to this
notion that you can be a part of this impeachment because we cannot
allow this injustice to continue.
Finally, I am working on a manuscript, a book, if you will. The title
of it is ``You Can't Walk Back History.''
[[Page H5080]]
You can walk back your comments, but you can't walk back history.
The history associated with this time will be: How did we vote when
we were given the opportunity to vote on impeachable bigotry emanating
from the policy of the Presidency?
There will be more to say and more to come.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from
engaging in personalities toward the President.
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