[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9359]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                             BLIND CHOICES

  (Mr. OWENS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, the spirit of Tiananmen Square, blind and 
extreme, has invaded decisions about energy policies in California. The 
same spirit of the tanks in Tiananmen Square has invaded the latest 
decisions with respect to Vieques in Puerto Rico. Both the Navy and a 
Federal judge are blindly pursuing a policy which rules out the choices 
of the people, refuses to recognize the choices of the people, and have 
resorted to measures like putting people in jail for 90 days.
  One New York leader, Al Sharpton, has now been sentenced to 90 days 
in jail in Puerto Rico, and several other political leaders have been 
sentenced to 40 days in jail.

                              {time}  1030

  This kind of extremism will only make martyrs of people and also will 
call for an invasion of Vieques. The Navy does not need Vieques that 
badly. We should listen to the will of the people, not have a blind eye 
similar to the tanks that rolled over the will of the people at 
Tiananmen Square.
  Mr. Speaker, judges have done enough harm also in this generation and 
should stop seeking their 15 minutes of fame. This judge is wrong. 
These sentences are wrong. Vieques should be set free.

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