Eliminate the "Yes, But" Mentality

ELIMINATE THE "YES, BUT" MENTALITY -- (House of Representatives - May 11, 2004)

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pence). Pursuant to the order of the House of January 20, 2004, the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) is recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I came to the well today because I am starting to hear something that I think the American people do not want to hear, and that is, that these terrible things were done by a few individuals in Iraq, but. All too often I am hearing the word "but" creeping in.

Mr. Speaker, last night I was listening to Michael Savage. Hundreds of stations around the country carry this man, and he was not just saying "yes, but." He was saying, well, these people are Muslim; Islam is a religion of war, and we have to understand they have always been involved in war and they only understand violence and they only understand this. This is why Saddam had these torture chambers because that is the only way to make them understand.

When I heard that said on national radio, I realized that the "yes, but" cannot be tolerated here on the House floor or in the other body or on K Street or on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is extremely important that we in this body today eliminate that "yes, but" mentality. There is no "yes." We must be above torture. We must be above violating the Geneva Conventions, but we must understand that these individuals may not be "conventional combatants." Mr. Speaker, that is not the way America stands for freedom. It is not the way we were brought up. There is no "but" after "yes."

Yes, we will honor the Geneva Conventions. Yes, every soldier, sailor and Marine in Iraq, in Guantanamo, in Afghanistan and around the world understands or should understand that we hold them to a standard that we would want for ourselves, not the standard that the other side may subject us to. No matter what happens anywhere in the world to Americans, not in Somalia, not in Iraq, not in Afghanistan and not in the Twin Towers of New York, justifies us treating other human beings in a way differently than we would want to be treated.

Mr. Speaker, to me this is the most important message for America to send. Mr. Speaker, I hope in this body, at least from this time forward, there will be no "but" after "yes." We hold Americans to high standards.

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