[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 13, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H1527-H1528]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           THE TIME IS ALWAYS RIGHT TO DO THAT WHICH IS RIGHT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Green) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, still I rise, and I rise because I 
love my country. I rise because it is Black History Month, and I am 
always, during Black History Month, amazed at what Dr. King called to 
our attention in his letter from the Birmingham jail. It is one of the 
great masterpieces of written word in the history of our country. I 
encourage all people to read his letter from the Birmingham jail.
  But I think that as important as it is, it is equally as important to 
read the letter that Dr. King was responding to, because if you don't 
read the letter he is responding to in his letter, then you cannot 
totally appreciate the letter from the Birmingham jail.
  I am not going to read the letter in its entirety. I will just tell 
you a little bit about it. This letter--I hold a copy of it in my 
hand--was signed by eight of the leading citizens in the area, members 
of the clergy, all. These leading citizens were admonishing persons to 
proceed with caution.

[[Page H1528]]

  Dr. King reminds us, however, that the time is always right to do 
what is right.

  They said in their letter, ``But we are convinced that these 
demonstrations are unwise and untimely.'' The time is always right to 
do what is right.
  And I would also add--this is not in Dr. King's retort, but that we 
should not allow political expediency to trump the moral imperative to 
do what is right. The time is always right to do what is right.
  People are saying today: We should wait. We don't have to move now. 
Let's wait. Let's let something else happen before we take any 
position.
  They go on to say in their letter, ``We agree rather with certain 
local Negro leadership, which has called for honest and open 
negotiation of racial issues in our area.'' To the many who say, let's 
have a dialogue, let's have a discussion about the race question; we 
need to talk about the race question.
  I say to my dear brothers and sisters, dear friends, and dear 
Members, this was written April 12, 1963. We have been talking about 
the race question long before this and since this. The time is always 
right to do that which is right.
  Dr. King reminded us that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice 
everywhere. He said that in his letter. That means that if we allow 
injustice to exist in the White House as it relates to bigotry, and 
xenophobia, and homophobia, and Islamophobia, if we allow it to exist 
in the White House, I say to my dear brothers and sisters, it is a 
threat to every house in this country. Injustice anywhere is still a 
threat to justice everywhere.
  So I happen to be one who is willing to accept all of the criticisms, 
and all of the slings and arrows. Send them my way. I will do what is 
right.
  The Constitution allows it, in fact, my constituents demand it. It is 
time for us to take the issue up again. It is going to happen, I say to 
my dear brothers and sisters. I believe that we cannot allow bigotry 
and policy emanating from the Presidency to go unchecked.
  So I can only say to you, impeachment is the solution, and the place 
for that solution to be properly addressed is the United States House 
of Representatives. Right here in this well. Impeachment is not dead.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from 
engaging in personalities toward the President.

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