On Wednesday, Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) praised the House of Representatives for passing a resolution against white nationalism and white supremacy, but claimed that this resolution is not enough. If Congress wants to denounce bigotry, it must impeach President Donald Trump, he claimed.
Green declared himself “proud to say that on yesterday this Congress went on record indicating that it is opposed to bigotry; went on record saying it’s opposed to hate.”
He read the resolution: “Resolved that the House of Representatives once again rejects white nationalism and white supremacy as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the values that define the people of the United States of America.”
He appreciated the resolution because “there was a time in the history of our country when such a revolution would not have been brought before the House of Representatives. There was a time when people would deny the existence of racism and bigotry and hate, xenophobia, homophobia, anti-Semitism. There was a time when people would have denied the existence.”
“But yesterday we went on record not only saying that we reject it, but we also acknowledge the existence of it, which is important,” he said. “But I also have to single out just one representative who spoke, Congressman Bobby Rush, who voted against the resolution. One vote against. I say he spoke — he voted against it. And I want to acknowledge that he was right.”
“He was right, because he said, it wasn’t enough. I concur,” Green declared. “I thank my colleagues for the resolution indicating that we opposed bigotry. But the real question that we have to answer at some point in the future is the corollary that flows from being in opposition to bigotry.”
“The corollary is this: If you oppose bigotry, if you reject bigotry, will you reject the bigot? If you reject racism, will you go on record rejecting the racist? If you’re antithetical to anti-Semitism, will you go on record rejecting and opposing the anti-Semite? This is the question,” he said.
“We cannot continue to say we’re opposed to something — that’s a talking point — we have to get to the action item, which is what are you going to do about it if you oppose it?” Green argued. “What will you do about it? What will do you about it when it emanates from the highest office in the land?”
He used this as a rallying point for impeachment. “Will you simply say I oppose it, or will you take a vote to indicate that it’s an action item and you are going to reject it?”
“One step closer to impeachment, yesterday’s resolution brought us one step closer,” Green argued. “The clock is ticking. Impeachment is not dead. I yield back the balance of my time.”
In these remarks, Green was echoing the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which refused to praise House Republicans for condemning Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) over his remark defending “white supremacy” and stripping him of all committee assignments — because the Republican Party has not yet condemned Donald Trump.
On Tuesday morning, CNN anchors Alisyn Camerota and John Berman attempted to convince former Gov. John Kasich (R-Ohio) to echo these talking points. Kasich held out, but Green pushed the point on the floor of the House.
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