[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2899]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       A TIME FOR HOPE, NOT FEAR

  (Mr. POLIS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with the people of 
various Arab countries that have risen up to throw off the yoke of 
tyranny that has oppressed them for too long. Mr. Speaker, now is the 
time for us to let our idealism trump our cynicism; a time for hope, 
not fear.
  I understand that there are people who are worried about the 
realpolitik of how developments might lead to changes in the world, but 
most Americans, Mr. Speaker, have deep and abiding sympathy for any who 
have democratic aspirations across the world.
  We support, as a country, the aspirations of all people to be heard 
in their government. The only just government is one that governs by 
the consent of the governed. For too long, Mr. Speaker, too many Arabs 
and too many people across the world have suffered under unresponsive 
and tyrannical leaders; and now is a time for hope, to change that and 
create a new Middle East that better supports democratic values.

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