Demonstrating the Courage of Our Convictions

DEMONSTRATING THE COURAGE OF OUR CONVICTIONS -- (House of Representatives - November 18, 2005)

(Mr. McGOVERN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, the American people want this Congress to debate the war in Iraq. We should have had a debate before we entered into this war. Instead, we rushed into it.

Yesterday, Congressman JACK MURTHA, a man of conscience, a decorated Vietnam veteran, one of the leading advocates for the military here in the United States Congress, stood up and told it like it is, that the situation in Iraq is getting worse, not getting better, and we, our huge U.S. presence, is a major part of the problem. We have become the focus. We have become the people who are being attacked.

Congressman Murtha deserves credit. Rather than engaging in a debate, what we hear from the other side and from the White House is more and more smear tactics, those who claim they are somehow being unpatriotic. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Dissent in the face of policies that you disagree with is patriotism. To remain silent as you see this country going down the wrong path is not patriotism, it is moral cowardice.

I praise Congressman JACK MURTHA for having the courage of his convictions and standing up and leading the way to get us out of this war in Iraq.

http://thomas.loc.gov