Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) on Thursday urged his colleauges to defeat an amendment launched by Republicans the night before to preserve the display of the Confederate flag in national parks, calling the move an embrace of “racial poison.”
“Mr. Speaker, had this Confederate battle flag prevailed in war 150 years ago, I would not be standing here today as a member of the United States Congress,” Jeffries said.
“I would be here as a slave,” he said.
He declared himself “perplexed” by his colleagues who defended the flag as “heritage,” and those supporting the amendment to preserve its display sponsored by Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA).
“I stand here with chills next to it,” he said. “Because the red in this flag is a painful reminder of the blood that was shed by Africans who were killed.” He cited the deaths of Africans killed in the Middle Passage on the way to America, and of people beaten and killed through the institution of slavery.
“What exactly is the tradition the Confederate battle flag represents?” he asked, and told his colleagues to “choose racial progress over racial poison” by voting against the Calvert amendment.
Hakeem Jeffries: “…had this Confederate battle flag prevailed in war 150 years ago, I would not be standing here today as a member of the United States Congress. I would be here as a slave.”
Republican Party: “So, what’s your point?”
Racism is very much alive and well in Congress and Scotus and in this country. Institutionally as well.
Actually with the industrial revolution it could have been that the south would have tried to ship their slaves north (your free now go away). Or sell slaves to parts of the world that still needed labor. Or worse…perhaps killed some off.
That’s a pretty powerful speech. I’d like to have a list of the Congressturds who would vote for the amendment after that.
One can dream… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k8YpQKzl_k