[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 146 (Wednesday, December 3, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H8279-H8280]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Al Green) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say thank you to 
the many persons who serve in law enforcement. They have difficult 
jobs, and they do their jobs well. I salute them.
  I also salute the many persons who have been engaged in peaceful 
protests. What they have been attempting to do, I support. A peaceful 
protest is the best protest. Peaceful protests can make a difference in 
the lives of people. I know, because I stand here today because of 
peaceful protests.
  I would like to continue what I started on yesterday, when I 
indicated that I would give a response today to a query that was made 
on Morning Joe. And I want my colleagues to know that I don't believe 
the query was made with malice aforethought. I think it was a genuine 
expression of concern. While intonations and expressions may connote 
otherwise to some, I believe that this is a question that should have 
been asked and that needs to be answered.
  The question was: What is wrong with these people?--meaning three 
Members of Congress. What is wrong with these people that they would 
come to the well of the House of Representatives and they would hold 
their hands up? What is wrong with them?
  Here is the answer, my dear brother: the same thing that was wrong 
with the Pilgrims and caused them to come to Plymouth Rock; the same 
thing that caused persons to throw tea into the Boston Harbor; the same 
thing that caused farmers to traverse the country on tractors and come 
to the United States Capitol to protest; the same thing that caused 
Rosa Parks to take a seat on a bus against the law; the same thing that 
caused Dr. King to march from Selma to Montgomery; the same thing that 
caused them to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge on what is known as 
Bloody Sunday.
  What is wrong with these people? They refuse to accept injustice. I 
refuse to accept injustice. What happened in Ferguson was an injustice. 
I refuse to accept injustice. Injustice anywhere is still a threat to 
justice everywhere. Dr. King was right. Injustice in Ferguson is a 
threat to justice in Houston, a threat to justice in Boston. Injustice 
anywhere is still a threat to justice everywhere.
  And so I will continue to hold my hands up. I will continue to 
support those who engage in peaceful protest. Because holding one's 
hands up is an indication that you don't have anything that will be 
harmful, an indication that you are willing to move freely and give an 
opinion about something that you believe to be important. I think that 
this will symbolize a movement that will metamorphose far beyond the 
initial reason for it being developed. I am absolutely convinced

[[Page H8280]]

that this will not eviscerate, this will not evaporate, that it is not 
going to go away. It is going to become part of the protest movement.
  I also want to note that what happened with the Rams players was a 
seminal moment, and I want to legitimize what they did. I have already 
said that I will have flags flown over the Capitol of the United States 
of America in each person's name.
  Somebody is going to say, well, what about the people who may have 
committed a crime? Washington wasn't perfect, but we honored him. 
Jefferson wasn't perfect; we honor him. I am going to honor them for 
what they did at that seminal moment, just as I believe John Carlos and 
Tommie Smith should be honored for what they did when they held their 
hands up, indicating that they were protesting at the Olympics in '68.
  So I, Mr. Speaker, am honored to have this opportunity today to 
indicate to the world, finally, that Dr. King was right when he said 
the truest measure of the person is not where the person stands in 
times of comfort and convenience, when everybody is patting you on the 
back, when everybody loves you, all your bills are paid, when things 
couldn't be better. The truest measure of the person is not where you 
stand in times of comfort and convenience. The truest measure of the 
person is where do you stand in times of challenge and controversy, 
when people are throwing the slings and arrows of life at you because 
you took a simple stand against injustice.
  And it was injustice. I can explain it. I regret that I wasn't 
invited on the program to give my point of view. So I had to take to 
the floor of the House of Representatives to give what I would have 
given, if given the opportunity.
  God bless you, Mr. Speaker.

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