[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16651]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON FREE SPEECH AND DISSENT

  (Mr. NADLER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I heard the remarks of the majority leader a 
few minutes ago. Democracy depends on free speech and dissent. Free 
speech is stifled when dissent is labeled treason or is derided in time 
of war as not supporting our troops.
  We all support our troops. One can point out the mistakes or the 
dishonesty of the administration while not stinting in supporting our 
troops. Pointing out that the administration misled the country about 
weapons of mass destruction in Iraq is not ``not supporting our 
troops.''
  Pointing out that Karl Rove appears to have participated in a 
conspiracy to punish Ambassador Wilson for telling the truth about this 
by revealing the Ambassador's wife's CIA role is not ``not supporting 
our troops.''
  Pointing out the administration's justification for keeping our 
troops in harm's way in Iraq flip-flops by the season is not ``not 
supporting our troops.''
  Demanding proper investigation of evidence that the administration 
has disgraced this country by evading our laws against torturing 
prisoners is not ``not supporting our troops.''
  A free society requires that all these accusations see the light of 
day. Let the administration rebut them if they can. But do not use the 
mantra of supporting our troops to stifle essential free speech.

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