Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) delivered this on the House floor this afternoon:
I rise to oppose this unnecessary and counter-productive resolution regarding the 20th anniversary of the incident in China’s Tiananmen Square. In addition to my concerns over the content of this legislation, I strongly object to the manner in which it was brought to the floor for a vote. While the resolution was being debated on the House floor, I instructed my staff to obtain a copy so that I could read it before the vote. My staff was told by no less than four relevant bodies within the House of Representatives that the text was not available for review and would not be available for another 24 hours. It is unacceptable for Members of the House of Representatives to be asked to vote on legislation that is not available for them to read!
As to the substance of the resolution, I find it disturbing that the House is going out of its way to meddle in China’s domestic politics, which is none of our business, while ignoring the many pressing issues in our own country that definitely are our business.
This resolution “calls on the People’s Republic of China to invite full and independent investigations into the Tiananmen Square crackdown, assisted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Committee of the Red Cross…†Where do we get the authority for such a demand? I wonder how the US government would respond if China demanded that the United Nations conduct a full and independent investigation into the treatment of detainees at the US-operated Guantanamo facility?
The resolution “calls on the legal authorities of People’s Republic of China to review immediately the cases of those still imprisoned for participating in the 1989 protests for compliance with internationally recognized standards of fairness and due process in judicial proceedings.†In light of US government’s extraordinary renditions of possibly hundreds of individuals into numerous secret prisons abroad where they are held indefinitely without charge or trial, one wonders what the rest of the world makes of such US demands. It is hard to exercise credible moral authority in the world when our motto toward foreign governments seems to be “do as we say, not as we do.â€
While we certainly do not condone government suppression of individual rights and liberties wherever they may occur, why are we not investigating these abuses closer to home and within our jurisdiction? It seems the House is not interested in investigating allegations that US government officials and employees approved and practiced torture against detainees. Where is the Congressional investigation of the US-operated “secret prisons†overseas? What about the administration’s assertion of the right to detain individuals indefinitely without trial? It may be easier to point out the abuses and shortcomings of governments overseas than to address government abuses here at home, but we have the constitutional obligation to exercise our oversight authority in such matters. I strongly believe that addressing these current issues would be a better use of our time than once again condemning China for an event that took place some 20 years ago.
Ouch. Once again, Ron Paul hits the nail on the head.
I’m not one for Bible verses, but this one came to mind …
How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you don’t see the beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you’ll see clearly enough to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
this the same congress that has always approved and paid for Israel actions against the People of Palestine.
Thanks that Ron is one of a few who cut through the clutter and see things as they are…not how ‘they’ want them to appear. No thanks to mainstream media who takes their marching orders from the money elitists. They were called ‘Judas Goats’ by some.
America, you missed your opportunity to save this great nation..instead you have installed an administration that promised ‘change’ yet follows the same reckless and ineffective Keynesian economics of every one before them..it won’t work.
Meddling in other country’s affairs is just not good business…it’s like Macy’s messing with Dillards…in real business it doesn’t happen.
In a government that employs over $22 million people that is significantly larger than the numbers employed in U.S. manufacturing jobs – speaks to what they’re about.
I keep asking, “How can our government get any more ignorant”? My wife says, “Stop asking, everytime you do it gets worse”!
It is none of our business what other countries do. It’s also more than a little hipocritical for our current government to demand accountability, when they have none.
Once again, Ron Paul gets it right while most of the rest show their true faces.
I say police yourself first and then, well still leave them alone.
Peace!
Brad Smith,
Best regards to your family. Your family must be a very good listener. America is too big, too loud. In a place like that, every voice is just another idle stone.
Hillary Clinton has just spewed out some bullsh…. about China and Tienanmen as well. It is about North Korea, where American bully has proved conclusively that it is a ridiculously stupid cheat, and it is also about the dollar that is hitting new lows as we speak. So the American congress is putting on this show to punish China, once again. It is all about show business and about counting on how the American media loves show business. Get rid of Hollywood and Broadway, and start a fine, robust independence movement. That seems to be the only way.
Thanks for your kind words, I hope your family is doing fine as well. However, I have a feeling that both our families would be a lot better off without the US empire.
Peace!
Why can’t America just mind its own business?
It feeds our vanity. Probably there’s money in it for someone.
Lester Ness
Kunming
China
“Why can’t America just mind its own business?”
Apparently, minding other people’s business, is America’s business.
Introspection? Never heard of it. Let’s throw rocks at those foreign freaks instead.
Unfortunately what goes around comes around. Someday this is all going to come back on America. What I find surprising is that there isn’t more blowback. So far…
Here, Here Ron Paul!
Ron Paul is right. The man is a true patriot and lover of liberty.
I understand what congress “sounds” like they want to do.
Buy why would you sign a bill you haven’t read….
Congress Fail.
Ty Ron
Once again, Ron Paul is simply brillant by being logical and to the point. No political B.S. How can his insight continue to be obscured in mainstream America? Thank you antiwar.com for covering this. I’m baffled why this suff is not covered by msm, but everything and anything else is.
Ron Paul voted the way I would.
God Bless Ron Paul! He’s the only one in Washington that has a clue. God please unlock my shackels from Washington and the Federal Reserve!
Count on the Honorable Ron Paul of Texas to be the voice of law-abiding sanity in the “Parliament of Whores.”
Ron Paul is the Prince of Peace and prosperity!
God Bless Ron Paul!
Ron Paul, the only sane voice of reason… once again.
The majority of Congress is ethically and intellectually bankrupt. It’s time to Throw Them Out.
This resolution, like most of what Congress does, is merely theatrics designed for the consumption of the morons who elected this enclave of embezzlement. That is with the exception of the citizens of the 14th Congressional District of Texas who have sent to Congress its only honest member.
Ron Paul is not the only one in Washington that has a clue. Rather, he’s the only one in Washington that doesn’t harbor a hidden contempt for the plebs.
Thank you Ron Paul and all others who voted with him to get our focus back on our own business and practicing before preaching.
Hmm, nobody else?
Well thank you Ron Paul!
As for the rest, keep in mind- Little Brother is Watching You. We have the votes you want.
Heh. Look at this UN humanitarian type equate the US Congress with the man in front of the tank and Ron Paul with Larouche-the-kook. http://www.undispatch.com/node/8348
I guess one must lie to oneself to be a liberal interventionist type, but must you lie to the rest of us?
I would bet that “our government” would love to lock up Ron Paul just like they did Lyndon LaRouche. I’m sure that would shut him up and show the rest of us how it’s going to be.
All the freedom loving Kooks should just shut up and go away! How dare they tell the truth about anything! (sarcasm implied)
As for lies, it’s only fair as it’s for our own good, so where is the harm right? We are after all too stupid to comprehend anything let alone what’s in our best interest.
Peace!
the decay is not only in congress ,but is in the whole country and spreading rapidly,as this exampel illustrates!
Defending Israeli War Crimes
“In response to a series of reports by human rights organizations and international legal scholars documenting serious large-scale violations of international humanitarian law by Israeli armed forces in its recent war on the Gaza Strip, 10 U.S. state attorneys general sent a letter [.pdf] to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defending the Israeli action. It is virtually unprecedented for state attorneys general – whose mandates focus on enforcement of state law – to weigh in on questions regarding the laws of war, particularly in a conflict on the far side of the world. More significantly, their statement runs directly counter to a broad consensus of international legal opinion that recognizes that Israel, as well as Hamas, engaged in war crimes.”
http://original.antiwar.com/zunes/2009/05/29/defending-israeli-war-crimes/
Yes, the congressman is right once again. Unfortunately, he is he hopelessly outnumbered in the Congress. The Federal Government has become hopelessly corrupt and downright satanic. It will only get worse. It cannot, and will never, reform itself. If Americans truly want to be free and properous again then they should immediately do the following: (1) stop voting – especially in elections for Federal offices. By the very act of voting, you give your consent to be ruled by others. (2) Secede from government. Encourage secession on individual, community, state-wide and regional levels. Become as independent from government as you possibly can and encourage others to do the same. Our liberties, our prosperity, our security and, increasingly, our very lives depend on it.
the bill passed, 396 to 1
Pretty easy to guess who the 1 was.
Ron Paul makes some good points, but I have to disagree with the idea that Tiananmen square is none of our (Americans’) business. Human rights are *everybody’s* business, no matter who the perpetrator or where they occur.
way to miss the point entirely.
I wonder how the US government would respond if China demanded that the United Nations conduct a full and independent investigation into the treatment of detainees at the US-operated Guantanamo facility?
How would you react to that?
I think that would be a great idea. (Yes, I realize that the Chinese government would be hypocritical to make the demand, just like the US government is hypocritical about Tiananmen Square.)
You are missing the point with your strawman argument. In any case the United States is the last country in the world to be casting stones. Did China invade Iraq under false pretences or did America? Which country maintains about 1,000 military bases in 130 countries around the world? Did China bomb Serbia for 78 days without provocation and destroy an American embassy their too? Which country spends about HALF of all the spending in the world on its military? Which country agressively expanded the NATO alliance after the USSR collapsed? I could go on….America has no business telling any country what to do.
Never let the Rebuplican apparatus co-opt the movement. Like they tried with the tea-bagging debacle. Ron Paul Is The Real Deal. As far as I’ve seen the only elected official that isn’t either dishonest, stupid, or both. Put your money and time behind candidates that Dr. Paul endorses or who endorse his common sense views of governance. (There aren’t many)
rEVOLution starts with us.
Right on Jay Mills! I think the way it should go and possibly could go is that the Ron Paul movement along with Constitutionalist, libertarians and other freedom loving groups might have a chance at co-opting the Repugnant party. That would be the easiest way of getting back to a two party system. I would prefer three or four parties that actually have control but this one party bull$hit has got to end or we are done! Say good night and turn out the lights the US is toast, if we don’t do something and soon. I know your not supposed to kick a man while he is down but I say kick him and keep on kicking. The neo-cons and wanna be fascist stole the Republican party a long time ago now we should take it back.
It may mean splitting the Rep. party in two. With the neo-con right wing evangelical nutters on one side and the freedom lovers on the other. I know people will say “but that will leave the liberals in charge”. I say “Yah so what else is new”? There isn’t I dimes worth of difference between any of our republicrats anyway.
Peace!
I don’t recall any Congressional resolutions vs. the Kwangju massacre in S. Korea or the Plaza del Tlaltelolco massacre in Mexico.
Lester Ness
Kunming
China
Dan Clore
**Ron Paul makes some good points, but I have to disagree with the idea that Tiananmen square is none of our (Americans’) business. Human rights are *everybody’s* business, no matter who the perpetrator or where they occur**
actually you have got a point there dan clore,
only god knows what really happened in tam 1989
tinyurl.com/5ahqd6
but there’s one thing we can be sure about……
tam is also us bussiness coz uncle sham has blood on his hand
“Prior to the Tiananmen Square incident, NED maintained two offices inside China and conducted regular seminars on Democracy. NED also sponsored various Chinese writers and publications. Probably NED or CIA, recruited numerous Chinese students studying in the United States; and, when Tiananmen Square erupted, either sent of helped fax thousands of letters to recipients in China, inflamed opinion via the Voice of America; and sheltered a leading dissident in the U.S. Embassy, which also arranged for many dissidents to flee China. NED continues to support Chinese activists and awards Tiananmen’s “Goddess of Democracy,” to noted dissidents of all nations. ”
http://tinyurl.com/q2ph5y
fact is, tam was the mother of all color revoultions
tinyurl.com/364ea4
hillary
** China “should examine openly the darker events of its past and provide a public accounting of those killed, detained or missing, both to learn and to heal**
i dont know what happened in tam, 1989 except its a cia blackop
but we know what amerikka did since wii since it’s well documented
http://tinyurl.com/22asx2
tinyurl.com/5mezy
never mind the last century
tinyurl.com/ovn7u5
I'm not one for Bible verses, but this one came to mind …