[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 77 (Wednesday, May 10, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E989]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                 CONDEMNING THE BOMBING IN OKLAHOMA CITY

                                 ______


                               speech of

                           HON. GLENN POSHARD

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives
                          Tuesday, May 2, 1995
  Mr. POSHARD. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of the 19th 
District of Illinois, I rise in support of the resolution and to extend 
our sympathies to the people of Oklahoma City and the State of 
Oklahoma. I especially want my friends and colleagues in the Oklahoma 
delegation to know that we have been enormously moved by the courage 
and the character of the people they represent.
  The people of my district have held public worship sessions and 
organized fund raising drives to assist the people of Oklahoma City. I 
imagine that most have also spent time in private, quiet, personal 
reflection. Our thoughts and prayers are with every family which lost a 
loved one or is still caring for the injured. We wish them God speed in 
their efforts to recover physically and emotionally.
  Buildings can be destroyed--but the human spirit cannot be broken. It 
was an awe-inspiring sight to see people reach across all of the 
boundaries of daily life, the political, ethnic, and religious 
differences which sometime separate us, to reach out and care for one 
another as fellow citizens, as fellow human beings, as people in need 
of comfort and love. The terrorist could bring their world crashing 
down around them--but their spirit would rise above the wreckage.
  Mr. Speaker, I do not know what forces conspired to produce this 
action. I am confident the perpetrators will be brought to justice. But 
I do know that I am deeply concerned about the growing anger and hatred 
we hear in our voices and see played out in our actions. Democracy does 
not survive on the extreme. It cannot survive in anarchy, nor in a 
police-state. It survives in the broad middle ground, accepting 
differences of opinion without considering those with whom we disagree 
as an enemy. We need to choose our words more carefully, and resist the 
temptation of demagoguery.
  Last November, as I drove around the town square in a city in my 
district, I followed a vehicle which had a bumper sticker saying ``I 
love my country, but fear my government. This government has its 
problems, but it is not the enemy of the people.
  Our ability to agree and disagree in a free and open society is one 
of our greatest strengths. The right of free speech, thought and 
association is precious to every American. But along with that freedom 
comes the responsibility to respect other points of view and other 
deeply held beliefs.
  We need to give people every assurance possible that within a free 
society we can hope to protect them from such attacks. I believe we can 
help put additional safeguards in place, through law or administrative 
action, which will help us protect the public without infringing on our 
Bill of Rights.


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