[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 9504-9505]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO AMERICA'S REAL HEROES AS OFFERED BY ALABAMA STATE AUDITOR 
                              BETH CHAPMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JO BONNER

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 9, 2003

  Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago, a childhood friend, Beth 
Killough Chapman, who now serves my home state of Alabama with 
distinction as our State Auditor,

[[Page 9505]]

made a speech at a ``Stand up for America Rally'' in the city of 
Pelham, a suburb of Birmingham.
  Beth's remarks, although certainly unintended at the time, captured 
the views of many of us in this country and sparked an emotional 
response from literally thousands of people in all 50 states, including 
many of the men and women who proudly wear the uniform of our military 
in defense of this great country.
  Unlike so many of the speeches we hear in this city, Beth Chapman's 
remarks were not made with a particular slant that was either pro-
Democrat or pro-Republican. Instead, Beth's comments were simply ``pro-
American,'' and after reading her words, it was obvious to me that the 
speech was made straight from the heart.
  Mr. Speaker, in these uncertain times when so many people have 
questions about where we are going, what we are doing and who can we 
trust, I found Beth Chapman's words inspirational and comforting. I ask 
that her speech be entered into the Congressional Record in its 
entirety, in hopes that even more people can be encouraged to stop and 
think about the true price of liberty and who is making the real 
sacrifices to preserve what is so dear to us all:

       I'm here tonight because men and women of the United States 
     military have given their lives for my freedom. I am not here 
     tonight because Sheryl Crowe, Rosie O'Donnell, Jane Fonda, 
     Martin Sheen, the Dixie Chicks, Barbra Streisand, the Beastie 
     Boys, George Clooney or Phil Donahue, sacrificed their lives 
     for me.
       If my memory serves me correctly, it was not movie stars or 
     musicians, but the United States Military who fought on the 
     shores of Iwo Jima, the jungles of Vietnam, and the beaches 
     of Normandy.
       Tonight, I say we should support the President of the 
     United States and the U.S. military and tell the liberal, 
     tree-hugging, hippy, Birkenstock wearing, tie-dyed liberals 
     to go make their movies and music and whine somewhere else.
       After all, if they lived in Iraq, they wouldn't be allowed 
     the freedom of speech they're being given here today--
     ironically, they would be put to death at the hands of Sadam 
     Hussein or Osama Bin Laden.
       I want to know how the very people who are against war 
     because of the loss of life, can possibly be the same people 
     who are for abortion?
       They are the same people who are for animal rights but 
     against the rights of the unborn.
       The movie stars say they want to go to Iraq and serve as 
     human shields for the Iraqis, I say let them buy a one-way 
     ticket and go.
       No one likes war, I hate war. But the one thing I hate more 
     is the fact that this country has been forced into war--
     innocent people have lost their lives--and there but for the 
     grace of God, it could have been my brother, my husband, or 
     even worse my own son.
       On December 7, 1941, there are no records of movie stars 
     treading the blazing waters of Pearl Harbor.
       On September 11, 2001; there are no photos of movie stars 
     standing as human shields against the debris and falling 
     bodies descending from the World Trade Center. There were 
     only policemen and firemen--underpaid civil servants who gave 
     their all with nothing expected in return.
       When the USS Cole was bombed, there were no movie stars 
     guarding the ship--where were the human shields then?
       If America's movie stars want to be human shields, let them 
     shield the gang-ridden streets of Los Angeles, or New York 
     City, let them shield the lives of the children of North 
     Birmingham whose mothers lay them down to sleep on the floor 
     each night to shelter them from stray bullets.
       If they want to be human shields, I say let them shield the 
     men and women of honesty and integrity who epitomize courage 
     and embody the spirit of freedom by wearing the proud 
     uniforms of the United States Military. Those are the people 
     who have earned and deserve shielding.
       Throughout the course of history, this country has remained 
     free, not because of movie stars and liberal activists but 
     because of brave men and women who hated war too--but lay 
     down their lives so that we all may live in freedom. After 
     all--What greater love hath no man, that he lay down his life 
     for his friend,'' but in this case a country.
       We should give our military honor and acknowledgement and 
     not let their lives be in vain. If you want to see true human 
     shields, walk through Arlington Cemetery. There lie human 
     shields, heroes, and the BRAVE Americans who didn't get on 
     television and talk about being human shields, they were 
     human shields.
       I thank God tonight for freedom--those who bought and paid 
     for it with their lives in the past--those who will protect 
     it in the present and defend it in the future.
       America has remained silent too long. God-fearing people 
     have remained silent too long.
       We must lift our voices united in a humble prayer to God 
     for guidance and the strength and courage to sustain us 
     throughout whatever the future may hold.
       After the tragic events of Sept. 11th, my then eleven-year-
     old son said terrorism is a war against us and them and if 
     you're not one of us, then you're one of them.
       So in closing tonight, let us be of one accord, let us 
     stand proud, and let us be the human shields of prayer, 
     encouragement and support for the President, our troops and 
     their families and our country.
       May God bless America, the land of the free, the home of 
     the brave and the greatest country on the face of this earth!

                          ____________________