[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 143 (Sunday, October 11, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H10528-H10529]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      COMMENTS FROM A CONSTITUENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I would just say, I put in 70, 80 hours a 
week and nobody has ever accused me of killing children because 
Republicans are withholding money from the FDA for E. coli. It is a 
shameful remark for the last speaker to say that. We gave the power to 
Secretary Glickman to use whatever resources are necessary to the 
Department of Agriculture to fight E. coli. To be accused of killing 
children. No wonder a constituent of mine Beatrice Mock wrote a letter 
to me, I picked it up this morning. She said:

       Dear Congressman, after listening to the pros and cons of 
     the last few weeks, I decided to call your office and voice 
     my objection to what is happening in Washington. Somehow this 
     quotation came to mind and seems to sum up much of what 
     should be said. If as it seems our Congressmen, Senators and 
     President are only interested in the power their offices 
     gives them and not what is best for the country, only in 
     getting reelected time after time, then we are doomed.

  She went through and stated that the numerous members of her family 
that have fought in every war except World War I started with the 
Spanish-American war. She said, ``So you see, I have a vested interest 
in seeing our leaders held accountable for their actions.'' She 
enclosed a quotation from, I think a State Senator, William Boroh, 
found in an old Bible that belonged to her family. Here is the 
quotation:

       The salvation of our Republic depends on the people, the 
     strength of might and clarity of purpose of the average 
     voter. Democracies tend to make moral cowards of public men. 
     Unless people rise to the task and demand high ideals and 
     truly American standards, then there is no hope from State 
     legislators, from spineless Congresses or listening to 
     officials.

  She concluded,

       This quotation should be spoken again and again. Much of 
     your tasks are or may be unpleasant. However, your 
     constituents are expecting you to find your voice and to 
     speak your conscience.

  Mr. Speaker, that letter says it all. Values and character do not 
depend on polls. Let me quote something. Harry Truman once commented on 
the importance of polls to leadership, with the following insight.

                              {time}  1545

       I wonder how far Moses would have gone if he had taken a 
     poll in Egypt. What would Jesus Christ have preached if he 
     had taken a poll in Israel? Where would the Reformation have 
     gone if Martin Luther had taken a poll? It is not the polls 
     or the public opinion of the moment that counts. It is right 
     and wrong, and leadership, men with fortitude, honesty and a 
     belief in right that makes epics in the history of the world.


[[Page H10529]]


  Some things are right, and some things are wrong, and these do not 
depend upon the philosophy of the day.
  There was an article that appeared in the Washington Times about 4 
years ago about Daimion Osby, Fort Worth teenager by the name of 
Daimion Osby. He was 18 years old, was charged with shooting and 
killing two other young men, Willie Brooks and Marcus Brooks. They were 
his cousins. Mr. Osby's lawyers came up with a pathetically cynical 
defense. The youth committed fratricide because he suffered from, 
quote, ``urban survival syndrome,'' they argued. In other words, he 
blew away his unarmed cousins because he thought they were out to get 
him.
  This is not accepting responsibility for one's actions, and irony of 
all ironies, as I came into the office this morning and saw this letter 
from my constituent, I picked up Dic DeVos' book on rediscovering 
American values at home, and it fell open to the chapter on 
accountability. It is exactly what my client was calling for in her 
letter when she said:
  ``So you see I have a vested interest in seeing our leaders held 
accountable for their actions.''
  And Dick DeVos says:

       Some like to blame others for what goes wrong in their 
     lives. Others blame God. When we hold ourselves accountable, 
     we accept the blame for wrong choices. Accountability is part 
     of my faith. I believe that we are all accountable to God for 
     the choices we make. Thankfully God is forgiving, but we must 
     acknowledge our mistakes before him. Accountability depends 
     on honesty and humility as well as fairness and courage. This 
     means simply recognizing and accepting responsibility and the 
     consequences for past mistakes and for the state in which we 
     find ourselves. Individuals can receive rewards for 
     accomplishments and victories.

  Mr. Speaker, it is accountability for one's actions for which my 
client has written this letter and which I am glad to share with this 
body today.

                          ____________________