[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 116 (Tuesday, July 18, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H7156]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  THE REPUBLICAN PARTY'S WANTED POSTER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Georgia [Ms. McKinney] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. McKINNEY. Mr. Speaker, 30 years ago, a little bit more than 30 
years ago, the Republican Party put out a wanted poster, and the day 
after this poster was put out, our beloved President was assassinated.
  Well, old habits die hard. And so now we find that the Republican 
Party has once again put out a wanted poster. Now, what is it that they 
expect to happen to the good people who are on this wanted poster, 
people who are elected by 580,000 people sent here to do a job, and 
whose main business is to take care of their constituents back home and 
to make sure that this is indeed a kinder and gentler Nation. But when 
you put on a wanted poster black folks, women, Latinos, certain white 
males, and Jews, and you say that these are people who are aiding and 
abetting President Bill Clinton's big government, what are you really 
saying? What you are saying to me, it seems, is that there are too many 
black people in Congress, there are too many Jews in Congress.
                              {time}  2000

  There are too many women out of the house, in this House, making 
public policy. And what is the result of this kind of racist, anti-
Semitic, divisive politics? Something happens in the heartland of 
America, and I can tell you what happens in the heartland of America. I 
have received hate mail.
  This is just a sample of the hate mail that I receive: ``Save 
America. Nigger genocide.'' Some people do not even have any feelings. 
They will sign their name. This one says, ``You have a hell of a nerve 
trying to tell the Supreme Court what they can and cannot do. You lousy 
niggers.'' I have another one that says, ``Definition of a nigger: An 
extremely vile and heinous, fecal-colored, wild animal that inhabits 
America's concrete jungles and walks upright on its hind legs, 
attempting to mimic human behavior.'' Then another one here: ``Niggers 
destroy America.''
  It seems that in the quiet of their homes, people find some kind of 
pleasure in using the word ``nigger.'' Well, you know, I have heard it 
all my life. It does not bother me. But some people get off using that 
word ``nigger.'' That is what happens when you try and divide a nation. 
That is what happens when you try and divide a country. And that is 
what happens when you put politics above all else and the bottom line 
above all else and above all people.
  American people are smart, though, and there is hope.
  I just received this letter from a young woman in Gainesville, FL. 
She said, ``Dear Congresswoman McKinney: I watched you this morning in 
regards to the idiotic poster the Republican party distributed labeled 
`Wanted liberals.' I realize your office has been under attack 
recently, due to the Supreme Court decision on redistricting and this 
most recent incident. As a young white female with all of the 
advantages of growing up in the upper middle-class neighborhood of 
Gwinnett County, GA, allow me to be the first to say thank you for 
speaking the truth. The forces trying to tear you apart are the same 
people who say that they are trying to protect what I have. I have a 
lovely home, I have a bright future, and I have a blessed life. I do 
not need protection for what I have. I need to know that other people 
will grant the opportunity to achieve what I take for granted.''
  Mr. Speaker, I think the people get the point.

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