Setting Straight the Record

Floor Speech

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Mr. GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, and still I rise.

And I rise today with love of country in my heart and a belief that the record has to be set straight.

The record has to always reflect the truth, and there is a truth that is being obscured.

I want to set the record straight because there seems to be a belief that, if you have committed acts of bigotry, if you have been a racist, if you have been engaged in homophobia, xenophobia, Islamophobia, there seems to be a belief that, if you can do one thing, somehow that thing will eradicate and eliminate all of the bigotry that you have perpetrated.

I rise to correct the record because I want the record to show that at least one person came to the floor of this Congress and made it clear that, yes, unemployment may be low for African Americans--yes, it may be low--but it is still twice that of Anglo Americans, generally speaking.

Yes, you may have signed a bill to deal with some aspects of criminal justice in a just way, and that is appreciated. But there is still more work to be done. But notwithstanding the fact that there is more work to be done, it is still appreciated.

But the record has to be set straight, and here is what the record should show: that that does not eliminate the bigotry emanating from the Presidency.

Eliminating bigotry does not occur because you signed one bill. It does not occur because unemployment is low. It does not occur.

If you want to have the record reflect that you have done something to atone for your bigotry, then you have to do something a little bit more than to simply sign a bill.

And I am not saying to you that an apology is in order. I say to people: Tell the truth. Just tell the truth.

Say: I was wrong when I instituted a policy that separated babies from their mothers that emanates the type of bigotry that we don't condone in this country.

Say: I was wrong when I said there were some good people among those who were the racists, the bigots, the xenophobes and homophobes in Charlottesville.

Say: I was wrong when I said that you don't have to be so kind when you are taking persons into your care, custody, and control and you are part of the constabulary, you are part of the policing force in this country.

Just say you were wrong if you want to atone. Signing bills won't do it. Going to church won't do it.

Asking forgiveness will cause you to be forgiven. And I will forgive you, but that doesn't mean that you are no longer going to be sanctioned for your bigotry.

I want to thank those who have stood and made their points clear as it relates to bigotry.

I am listening to these morning programs now. They are all talking about bigotry emanating from the Presidency, not necessarily in those words. They are talking about the racism that the President perpetrates.

I appreciate what they are saying, but we have got to do more than talk about it. We cannot allow a President to remain in office who has engaged in this kind of bigoted conduct.

It is time for us to take a stand here on the floor of the House of Representatives.

There were no fine people in Charlottesville. You ought not separate babies from their mothers. You ought not have policies that would condone bigotry and encourage others to engage in it.

I believe that we have a duty to take a vote, and at some point in the near future we will take another vote, notwithstanding the Mueller report.

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