[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 11, 2003)] [House] [Page H1715] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] IN SUPPORT OF OUR ARMED FORCES The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Green) is recognized for 5 minutes. Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, when Members rise in this House for Special Orders, each of them speaks to a particular audience. Some are talking to fellow legislators, some are talking to the folks back home, some are talking to interest groups, and some, quite frankly, are just talking to themselves. Tonight, Mr. Speaker, I would like to do something very different, because tonight I rise to speak to our men and women in uniform, some of whom are a long way from home right now. To these brave folks I say this: I know you hear some of the protests in Europe and even on our own streets and campuses. I know you hear the sometimes bitter anti-American and antimilitary rhetoric of these protests, and I know you see the faces of some of the celebrities who not only oppose our Nation's policies but, all too often, question the morality of your actions as soldiers and sailors and airmen and Marines. Please know this: the overwhelming majority of your countrymen support you 100 percent. The voices of the protesters and their cheerleading celebrities represent only a vocal minority, one that gets public attention way out of proportion to the numbers they represent. Mr. Speaker, Richard Nixon spoke many years ago of a silent majority. Well, on this issue, standing with all of you, the majority will be silent no longer. There is no better evidence than the fact that a movement that I am proud to say has arisen and taken root in Wisconsin is taking off. This movement, launched by a couple of talk show hosts and friends of mine, Charlie Sykes and Jeff Wagner of WTMJ Radio in Milwaukee, is an effort to support you, the brave men and women of our armed services, during these challenging and difficult times. It started with just Charlie and Jeff in their open letter in response to the notorious Not in Our Name antiwar campaign. But what started with these two men and a fairly simple statement of principles has grown and grown and grown. It is now a thriving movement in my area known today as In Our Name. The In Our Name effort is dedicated to supporting our troops and our Nation. In Our Name is attracting enormous backing from the people of Wisconsin and, more and more, the people of America. This past weekend, downtown Milwaukee was the site of a great rally in support of our troops and of the In Our Name campaign. It attracted hundreds and hundreds of folks from all walks of life, folks who gathered despite falling snow and freezing temperatures. And as of this evening, about 42,000 people have signed on to the In Our Name letter, including myself and my wife. It is a statement that I want to read here tonight. It is a statement that I feel belongs in the recorded history of this extraordinary time in our Nation, and it is a statement that you on the front lines need to hear. ``Let there be no doubt in your minds as you embark on this mission that you carry the hopes, the prayers, and the gratitude of your country with you. Every generation learns anew that freedom carries a steep price. You are paying that price with your courage and your commitment, no less than those who fought to liberate Europe, to defend freedom in Korea and Vietnam, and to combat aggression in Kuwait a decade ago. ``As our fathers and grandfathers fought against and defeated Nazism, fascism, and communism, our generation must confront terrorism. You have answered that call. ``We know that you neither wanted this war nor fired the first shot. The war against America began on September 11, 2001, with the murder of 3,000 Americans. You fight in their name. You fight in the name of our children and our children's children who will not have to face a world dominated by terror, and you fight in the name of each and every one of us who signed this petition below. ``We know that all war is brutal and ugly and dangerous, but we also know that the price of inaction is even worse. We have learned the lessons of history, that the fruit of appeasement is war on an even more brutal scale. ``You fight so that the world will not have to face the nightmare of a tyrant like Saddam Hussein armed with chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons which he can use to threaten, intimidate, and murder. You fight today so that others will not have to fight even more savage battles in the future. {time} 1930 ``We know that you have seen the anti-war protests around the world and in your own country. But know this: Your country is behind you. You are our sons, our daughters, our brothers and sisters, our wives and husbands. You are the best this country has to offer. In the difficult hours ahead, as President Bush said, the success of our cause will depend on you. Your training has prepared you. Your honor will guide you. You believe in America and America believes in you. You fight in our name. May God bless you, our troops, and may God bless America.'' ____________________