[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 58 (Wednesday, March 29, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E734]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       TRIBUTE TO RODNEY THAXTON

                                 ______


                          HON. CARRIE P. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 29, 1995
  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, life is not a series of 
unconnected events, everything happens for a reason. And, while that 
reason may not always be readily apparent, my faith and trust in God 
helps me to accept that reason and its rightness.
  On occasion life's happenings and their sequence may seem a bit 
bewildering and even unfair. During such times we must trust in His 
infinite wisdom and remind ourselves that He has all power and that His 
will is for peace, joy, and harmony in our lives. If we do that, God 
will sustain and uplift us as He guides us toward fulfilling our 
purpose.
  Mr. Speaker, today I must rely on my faith and belief in God and his 
great plan to sustain me, as I reflect on the life of Rodney Thaxton. 
Earlier this week, the Lord called Rodney home at the tender young age 
of 37.
  Rodney used his forceful voice to help humble people. He used it to 
help the homeless, minorities, the downtrodden, and even those who 
committed crimes. He raised his voice throughout the community always 
standing up for that which is right, even in the face of that which was 
wrong.
  Through his powerful mix of moral conviction and angry anecdotes, 
Rodney reminded us all that each of us has a stake in our national 
transformation away from selfish lives and toward a commitment to 
others. He helped South Florida remember that the fellowship of human 
beings is far more important than the fellowship of race and class and 
gender.
  Rodney was at once a celebration of humanity, and an invocation to 
the Nation's conscience; yet he was touchingly humble, introspective, 
and self-searching. He was, above all, a utterance of faith and courage 
in a time of cynicism and despair. He inspired us all to fight 
injustice and to give future generations a legacy to preserve and 
future to design.
  A vital part of our community, Rodney did not shy away from demanding 
and essential community leadership roles. He was active in the Miami-
Dade Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored 
People where he was branch vice president, and the American Civil 
Liberties Union. He also served as president of the Unrepresented 
People's Positive Action Council [UP-PAC], where he organized, 
mobilized, and advocated for the disenfranchised.
  Rodney was a consummate profession, as a senior attorney in the Dade 
County Public Defender's Office, defending hundreds of cases and 
supervising attorneys within his division.
  When he saw a cause he felt strongly about, he made a commitment to 
it and he took it on.
  Mr. Speaker, my community, indeed, our country has lost a great son.


  

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