[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 94 (Thursday, June 7, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H4857]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   SENATOR McCAIN IS OWED AN APOLOGY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Cleaver) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I am only able to raise my right arm to 
maybe 50 percent, sometimes not that much, but that is due to shoulder 
separations from playing football. John McCain cannot raise his arms 
because he was tortured in Vietnam.
  I believe that it is just about sinful for Mr. McCain, in his days of 
very serious illness, to have anyone in this country, particularly 
anyone in a position of significance, say things about him that cannot 
in any way bless him or encourage him but, in fact, denounce him 
through baseless attacks.
  Mr. Speaker, when I was elected, I promised my four children that I 
would never come to the well of this House and attack a human being or 
call them names. Unfortunately, things have changed in this country to 
the point now where that is a part of our daily way of doing the 
business of the greatest Nation God has ever allowed to exist.
  There is something wrong, Mr. Speaker, when the elected leaders of 
our country refuse to apologize. There is not a single parent watching 
the goings-on in this Chamber who would tell their children: No matter 
what you do, no matter how awful you hurt another human being, you had 
better not apologize.
  We are setting examples for children and unborn children by what we 
do in this Chamber. How in the world can a person sleep at night who 
can hurt another individual and not apologize?
  I guess there are some things I will never apologize for. I will 
never apologize for never coming to the floor to attack a colleague. I 
will never apologize for respecting a person with whom I may disagree. 
I will never apologize for displaying disrespect for a member of the 
other party though their policies are separate and distinct from mine.
  I will never apologize for trying to get my point across without 
stabbing someone with it. I will never apologize for being sensitive to 
the pain and hurts of others. I will never apologize for being an 
apologist when I wrong someone.
  Silence is consent. And when I see this going on around this Chamber 
and I see it going on in other places in our government, I know that 
there are millions of people who believe that that is okay, that if it 
is done by someone in my party, it is okay.
  I have said to my family, I have said to our church, and I have said 
to my colleagues here: If the leaders of the Democratic Party, Nancy 
Pelosi or Steny Hoyer, stand up and attack someone, particularly 
someone who is ill, I would come to the floor and condemn them.
  Right and wrong is not based on party; it is based on right and 
wrong.

                              {time}  1100

  We are becoming a mean-spirited nation. No one watching this will 
tell their children: I want you to watch what is going on in Washington 
and use what you see as an example of how to live.
  Mr. Speaker, Washington is dark right now. The people around this 
country who believe in light should let it shine.

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