[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 21 (Wednesday, March 2, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 2, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                         FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS

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                            HON. MIKE SYNAR

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 2, 1994

  Mr. SYNAR. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, February 23, I voted in 
opposition to H. Res. 343. This resolution was an official action by 
the U.S. House of Representatives condemning a political speech by 
Khalid Abdul Muhammad, a spokesman for the Nation of Islam. My vote 
opposing the resolution was cast despite my strong, negative feelings 
concerning the speech in question.
  I found the contents of the speech offensive, bigoted, repugnant and 
totally unsupportable. What I support strongly, however, is the right 
of any individual American to be protected by the first amendment. As I 
have expressed several times in this House, I believe that political 
speech, however offensive, is the cornerstone of our system of 
democracy. The first amendment was not designed to protect only the 
majority, popular opinion. The first amendment is the Bill of Rights to 
ensure the protection of speech that is unpopular and supported only by 
a few.
  Each and every citizen has the right to speak out and condemn Mr. 
Muhammad's speech. In fact, I would strongly encourage every citizen to 
read his disgraceful speech and personally condemn the hatred and 
bigotry so blatant in every word. But I would not stop there. I would 
encourage every citizen to review carefully the many other racist and 
hateful speeches, talk shows, articles, and books that are prevalent in 
our society and also speak out forcefully against intolerance and 
hateful attitudes wherever they are found.
  I cannot recall when the House of Representatives has chosen to take 
an official position by voting to condemn an individual's speech. I 
believe this official censure to be contrary to the Constitution and in 
violation of the oath of office I took as a Member of Congress. Such an 
official action sets an ominous precedent. Are the Members who 
officially condemned Mr. Muhammad's speech prepared to pass judgment on 
all other offensive speakers in the future?
  Each citizen has an obligation to speak out against such hatred and 
that includes every individual Member of Congress. We are capable of 
censuring such speech as individuals and as Members have more public 
opportunities than most Americans. What we have no right to do as an 
official body of government is to single out a particular speech we 
abhor or favor and take an official position for the House of 
Representatives.

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