[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 40 (Thursday, April 14, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 14, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                                BRIDGES

                                 ______


                           HON. PETER DEUTSCH

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 14, 1994

  Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, in light of recent events, I would like to 
bring this editorial piece to the attention of my colleagues. It ran 
recently in the Baltimore Sun.

                                Bridges

                           (By Evelyn Avery)

       Last weekend a few hundred Americans of different faiths 
     and races, shivering in the wintry night air, assembled at 
     Baltimore's Holocaust Memorial to protest the appearance of 
     anti-Semites in a city public school. Only 50 years ago, an 
     advanced, civilized nation exterminated one third of the 
     world's Jews. How could this be happening?
       The microphones appeared defective, silencing some of the 
     speakers' words. ``Build bridges,'' the crowd was told but to 
     whom? A safe, sturdy bridge requires support at both ends.
       In America, Jews have become consummate bridge builders. 
     Organizations such as the American Jewish Committee, the 
     Anti-Defamation League, and religious social-action groups 
     devote themselves to justice and opportunity for all. 
     American Jews preach and practice equality, demonstrating 
     against racism, writing against bigotry, teaching against 
     hate.
       Jewish bigots are chastised by their community, not 
     applauded as anti-Semites are today. Because of their 
     religious beliefs, their sense of justice and their history 
     of persecution, Jews have made common cause with other 
     minorities, especially black Americans.
       But for black extremists, like the Nation of Islam and its 
     bogus academic disciples, Black-Jewish relations have always 
     been destructive. Thus, civil-rights workers are really 
     civil-wrong doers. According to the Farrakhans the marches 
     never happened legal battles were a myth, and Martin Luther 
     King never dreamed.
       Despite the faulty microphones, the demonstrators 
     understood the speakers' words, words engraved in their 
     memories of Jewish and black persecution. Were they wrong to 
     protest? Were they exaggerating anti-Semitism and offering 
     publicity to black racists? In the background, a faint chant, 
     a counterpoint to the speakers, grew louder as a dozen or so 
     white neo-nazis, flaunting swastika flags, shouted ``Sieg 
     Heil'' and pledged themselves to white American purity.
       Against the dark sky, the gray concrete memorial witnessed 
     the ironies. Across town, the anti-Semite Tony Martin, a 
     black professor, defamed Jews and nourished hate mongers. By 
     the Holocaust Memorial, neo-nazis claimed to march for white 
     Christian America. On television a neo-nazi proclaimed that 
     his group supported Mr. Farrakhan's message.
       A bridge of hatred was being erected by bigots of different 
     races.
       Before it is too late, the speakers warned, all decent 
     Americans must speak out. Elected officials and institutional 
     representatives must refuse, for any reason, to excuse 
     prejudice or negotiate with bigots.
       Instead, a powerful alliance, an invincible bridge, must be 
     forged by all freedom-loving Americans.

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