[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 16, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H609]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    OPPOSITION TO BIGOTRY AND RACISM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Green) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, and still I rise, proud to have the 
preeminent privilege of serving in the Congress of the United States of 
America, a proud American, and proud to say that, yesterday, this 
Congress went on record indicating that it is opposed to bigotry. It 
went on record saying it is opposed to hate.
  I read to you the style of the resolution, H. Res. 41. It reads: 
``Rejecting White Nationalism and White Supremacy.'' That is the style 
of the resolution.
  I will not read all of the whereases, but I do think it appropriate 
to read the resolved.
  ``Resolved, That the House of Representatives once again rejects 
White nationalism and White supremacy as hateful expressions of 
intolerance that are contradictory to the values that define the people 
of the United States.''
  I thank all of my colleagues. I heard many of them speak, and much of 
what was said really touched my heart. I thank them for saying it, 
because it was made very clear yesterday that we reject bigotry. It was 
made very clear that bigotry will not be tolerated.
  I am appreciative that this happened because there was a time in the 
history of our country where such a resolution would not have been 
brought before the House of Representatives. There was a time when 
people would deny the existence of racism and bigotry and hate, 
xenophobia, homophobia, anti-Semitism.
  There was a time when people would have denied the existence, and 
then when you deny the existence of something, you don't have to deal 
with it because you say that it isn't there and it doesn't exist. Why 
would you deal with it? But yesterday, we went on record not only 
saying that we reject it, but we also acknowledged the existence of it, 
which is important.
  I also have to single out just one Representative, Congressman   
Bobby Rush, who voted against the resolution--one vote against. I want 
to acknowledge that he was right. He was right because he said it 
wasn't enough. I concur.
  I thank my colleagues for the resolution indicating that we oppose 
bigotry, but the real question that we have to answer at some point in 
the future is the corollary that flows from being in opposition to 
bigotry. The corollary is this:
  If you oppose bigotry, if you reject bigotry, will you reject the 
bigot? If you reject racism, will you go on record rejecting the 
racist? If you are antithetical to anti-Semitism, will you go on record 
rejecting and opposing the anti-Semite?
  This is the question.
  I appreciate greatly and I am going to be eternally grateful to those 
who brought this resolution. It was timely. It was something that was 
necessary. But I also appreciate Mr. Rush's position, because the 
corollary has to be addressed at some point.
  We cannot continue to say we are opposed to something. That is a 
talking point. We have to get to the action item, which is: What are 
you going to do about it if you oppose it? What will you do about it?
  What will you do about it when it emanates from the highest office in 
the land? What will you do about it? Will you simply say ``I oppose 
it,'' or will you take a vote to indicate that it is an action item and 
you are going to reject it?
  One step closer to impeachment, yesterday's resolution brought us one 
step closer. The clock is ticking. Impeachment is not dead.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from 
engaging in personalities toward the President.

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