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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAwesome Truth To Power Speech by Rep. John Lewis! UPDATE: WITH VIDEO & Text
Giving a history lesson, and talking about voter suppression by the GOP.
http://www.c-span.org/DNC/
Full text released by DNC
On that same day, we continued on to Rock Hill, South Carolina, about 25 miles. From here, when my seatmate, Albert Bigelow, and I tried to enter a white waiting room, we were met by an angry mob that beat us and left us lying in a pool of blood. Some police officers came up and asked us whether we wanted to press charges. We said, "No, we come in peace, love and nonviolence." We said our struggle was not against individuals, but against unjust laws and customs. Our goal was true freedom for every American.
Since then, America has made a lot of progress. We are a different society than we were in 1961. And in 2008, we showed the world the true promise of America when we elected President Barack Obama. A few years ago, a man from Rock Hill, inspired by President Obama's election, decided to come forward. He came to my office in Washington and said, "I am one of the people who beat you. I want to apologize. Will you forgive me?" I said, "I accept your apology." He started crying. He gave me a hug. I hugged him back, and we both started crying. This man and I don't want to go back; we want to move forward.
Brothers and sisters, do you want to go back? Or do you want to keep America moving forward? My dear friends, your vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful, nonviolent tool we have to create a more perfect union. Not too long ago, people stood in unmovable lines. They had to pass a so-called literacy test, pay a poll tax. On one occasion, a man was asked to count the number of bubbles in a bar of soap. On another occasion, one was asked to count the jelly beans in a jarall to keep them from casting their ballots.
Today it is unbelievable that there are Republican officials still trying to stop some people from voting. They are changing the rules, cutting polling hours and imposing requirements intended to suppress the vote. The Republican leader in the Pennsylvania House even bragged that his state's new voter ID law is "gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state." That's not right. That's not fair. That's not just.
And similar efforts have been made in Texas, Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia and South Carolina. I've seen this before. I've lived this before. Too many people struggled, suffered and died to make it possible for every American to exercise their right to vote.
And we have come too far together to ever turn back. So we must not be silent. We must stand up, speak up and speak out. We must march to the polls like never before. We must come together and exercise our sacred right. And together, on November 6, we will re-elect the man who will lead America forward: President Barack Obama.
[font size=16] We must march to the polls like never, ever before[/font]
~ Rep. John Lewis
Viva_La_Revolution
(28,791 posts)with his story
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)What an awesome heartfelt speech!
LadyHawkAZ
(6,199 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)malaise
(267,823 posts)Rec
FrenchieCat
(68,867 posts)Simply wonderful!
Evergreen Emerald
(13,069 posts)My favorite politician.
CurtEastPoint
(18,552 posts)SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)Spazito
(49,765 posts)his eloquence, his history, his humanity.
calimary
(80,699 posts)I felt as though I wanted to stand, not sit. It looked like pretty much everybody else in that convention felt similarly.
calimary
(80,699 posts)EVERYONE needs to hear what he has to say.
AnotherDreamWeaver
(2,846 posts)nmbluesky
(2,561 posts)I like his speech.. GOP are so dirty plan for election.
kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)beat him all those years ago and how he asked for Lewis' forgiveness.
RebelOne
(30,947 posts)Shankapotomus
(4,840 posts)is a phenomenal speaker. Had the crowd in tears. They should have given him a prime time spot.
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)jsmirman
(4,507 posts)wanted to get the replay
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)what a great man!
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)wonderful speaker.
nc4bo
(17,651 posts)freshwest
(53,661 posts)SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)shireen
(8,333 posts)it should be required viewing for every US citizen.
Faygo Kid
(21,477 posts)I want my country back from these Republicans.
proverbialwisdom
(4,959 posts)davidpdx
(22,000 posts)I missed it, but will watch it later. Until 2008 I didn't know who Lewis was, but since then I am a big admirer.
peace frog
(5,609 posts)and a keeper. This one will be repeated in future conventions as a classic.