Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere

Floor Speech

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Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say thank you to
the many persons who serve in law enforcement. They have difficult
jobs, and they do their jobs well. I salute them.

I also salute the many persons who have been engaged in peaceful
protests. What they have been attempting to do, I support. A peaceful
protest is the best protest. Peaceful protests can make a difference in
the lives of people. I know, because I stand here today because of
peaceful protests.

I would like to continue what I started on yesterday, when I
indicated that I would give a response today to a query that was made
on Morning Joe. And I want my colleagues to know that I don't believe
the query was made with malice aforethought. I think it was a genuine
expression of concern. While intonations and expressions may connote
otherwise to some, I believe that this is a question that should have
been asked and that needs to be answered.

The question was: What is wrong with these people?--meaning three
Members of Congress. What is wrong with these people that they would
come to the well of the House of Representatives and they would hold
their hands up? What is wrong with them?

Here is the answer, my dear brother: the same thing that was wrong
with the Pilgrims and caused them to come to Plymouth Rock; the same
thing that caused persons to throw tea into the Boston Harbor; the same
thing that caused farmers to traverse the country on tractors and come
to the United States Capitol to protest; the same thing that caused
Rosa Parks to take a seat on a bus against the law; the same thing that
caused Dr. King to march from Selma to Montgomery; the same thing that
caused them to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge on what is known as
Bloody Sunday.

What is wrong with these people? They refuse to accept injustice. I
refuse to accept injustice. What happened in Ferguson was an injustice.
I refuse to accept injustice. Injustice anywhere is still a threat to
justice everywhere. Dr. King was right. Injustice in Ferguson is a
threat to justice in Houston, a threat to justice in Boston. Injustice
anywhere is still a threat to justice everywhere.

And so I will continue to hold my hands up. I will continue to
support those who engage in peaceful protest. Because holding one's
hands up is an indication that you don't have anything that will be
harmful, an indication that you are willing to move freely and give an
opinion about something that you believe to be important. I think that
this will symbolize a movement that will metamorphose far beyond the
initial reason for it being developed. I am absolutely convinced
that this will not eviscerate, this will not evaporate, that it is not
going to go away. It is going to become part of the protest movement.

I also want to note that what happened with the Rams players was a
seminal moment, and I want to legitimize what they did. I have already
said that I will have flags flown over the Capitol of the United States
of America in each person's name.

Somebody is going to say, well, what about the people who may have
committed a crime? Washington wasn't perfect, but we honored him.
Jefferson wasn't perfect; we honor him. I am going to honor them for
what they did at that seminal moment, just as I believe John Carlos and
Tommie Smith should be honored for what they did when they held their
hands up, indicating that they were protesting at the Olympics in '68.

So I, Mr. Speaker, am honored to have this opportunity today to
indicate to the world, finally, that Dr. King was right when he said
the truest measure of the person is not where the person stands in
times of comfort and convenience, when everybody is patting you on the
back, when everybody loves you, all your bills are paid, when things
couldn't be better. The truest measure of the person is not where you
stand in times of comfort and convenience. The truest measure of the
person is where do you stand in times of challenge and controversy,
when people are throwing the slings and arrows of life at you because
you took a simple stand against injustice.

And it was injustice. I can explain it. I regret that I wasn't
invited on the program to give my point of view. So I had to take to
the floor of the House of Representatives to give what I would have
given, if given the opportunity.

God bless you, Mr. Speaker.

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