[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 21, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H3759-H3760]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  THE AMERICAN DREAM IS ALIVE AND WELL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Missouri (Mrs. Hartzler) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. HARTZLER. Madam Speaker, 2 miles down the road from this very 
Chamber, in 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. stood on the steps of the 
Lincoln Memorial and proclaimed his vision for the future:
  ``I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a 
Nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by 
the content of their character.''
  Nearly 60 years later, radical far-left Democrats are doing 
everything possible to eliminate this dream through the implementation 
of critical race theory.
  Instead of equality, critical race theory frames race, not character, 
as the focal point of the human construct, implying that one's racial 
identity defines who they are and who they will ever be.
  To these CRT believers, your fate has already been decided by your 
skin color.
  To the average American living outside the swamp bubble, this idea is 
ludicrous.
  Everyday Americans have seen individuals of all races and backgrounds 
succeed. They know hard work and character are the biggest determinants 
of success, and the American Dream is alive and well for everyone.
  But critical race theory wants to poison our classrooms by pushing an 
agenda which revolves around race, not character. They want to teach 
young minds that racism persists even if no individual or institution 
acts in a racist way or holds any racist beliefs.
  This toxic teaching squashes hope, stifles growth, and fuels anger 
and despair.

[[Page H3760]]

  What began as a theory for civil rights lawyers to debate has 
transformed into harmful messages that ultimately seek to further 
divide our Nation.
  CRT and The 1619 Project have no place in our schools, our 
workplaces, or our military.
  Our Nation's founding principles of equality and freedom are worth 
fighting for and protecting. While our Nation isn't perfect, we always 
strive for that more perfect Union. We have made progress in the last 
100 years and are still the greatest Nation in the world. This progress 
would be lost should we allow the divisive, racist rhetoric of critical 
race theory into our classrooms.
  As a mother and a former teacher, I believe our education system is 
at its best when we inspire our young people to be all they can be and 
share with them the principles showcased in America's traditional 
motto, ``e pluribus unum,'' which means, out of many, one. That is the 
unique greatness of our country, the idea of being a melting pot of 
people from different countries, races, and backgrounds, but we become 
one as Americans.

  Our schools should never stifle the growth of our children, belittle 
them based on the color of their skin, or teach them that they 
themselves or their families are racist regardless of their individual 
beliefs.
  The American Dream is alive and well and should be fanned into 
flames, not crushed by critical race theory's restrictive and damaging 
rhetoric. That is the last thing our children need.
  Since critical race theory has entered the national discussion, 
Missourians and parents across the country have expressed strong 
disdain for teaching our students that this country is inherently 
racist and that minority groups are unable to succeed within our 
country's current systems and institutions.
  Today, I stand by those parents. I cannot condone an education system 
that teaches students to be ashamed of our country and to judge each 
other based on the color of our skin. And I believe neither would 
Martin Luther King, Jr. Our kids deserve better.

                          ____________________