Transcripts For CSPAN2 Emmett 20240703 : vimarsana.com

This this this murder. Thank you. Thank you. Its all the time we have. Thank you all so much for coming and making. Thank you. Thank you go to venture. Good afternoon, everyone. Please have a seat. Good afternoon. To our president , joe biden, members of congress, the members of the hill family, my fellow americans, today we gather to remember our history. We gather to an act of astonishing violence and hate and to the courage of. Those who called upon our nation to look with open eyes at that horror and to act the story of. Emmett till and. The incredible bravery of mamie tillmobley helped fuel the movement. Civil rights in america and their stories continue to inspire our collective fight for justice. When i served in the United States senate, i was so honored to sponsor the emmett till antilynching act alongside congressman bobby rush, and it was an even greater honor. Stand beside our president , joe biden, as he signed law that finally made lynching a federal crime. So many leaders today made that progress. Our history as a nation is born of tragedy and triumph of struggle and success. That is who we are. And as people who our country, as patriots, we know that we must remember and teach our full history, even it is painful, especially when it is painful today. There are those in our nation who would prefer to erase or even rewrite the ugly parts of our those who attempt teach that enslaved people benefited from slavery. Those who insult us in an attempt to gaslight us, who tried to divide our nation with debates. Let us not be seduced into believing that somehow we will be if we forget, we will be better. If we remember, we will be stronger. If we remember. Because we all here it is only by understanding and learning from our past that we can continue to Work Together to build a better future. And so now it is my honor to introduce the leader who has dedicated his life to preserving and protecting our history and reverend Wheeler Parker, jr also shared with me that he and his wife will be celebrating this weekend,. 56 anniversary of marriage rev Wheeler Parker in their native new. In fact, we were married 56 years on. My wife say when we get to heaven im going to say lord not appear to. I see we have a whole lot of events that. Im truly humbled by this honor. You see, i was born in mississippi i spent my early years as a sharecropper and was on filling up nine foot sack up on my quota not making history from the outhouse to the house. From a time when we live fear to a time when president and Vice President gave us this great hope. Kept their promise delivering this is what america means me promises me promises kept. It has quite a journey for me from the darkness to the light. When i sit with my family on the night of when emmett till wall was taken from us, taken to be tortured, brutally murdered, murdered back then when i was overwhelmed with terror and fear of certain death. In the darkness of a thousand, midnight in a pitch black house on what some have called fear ruled back then in the darkness could never imagine a moment like this standing in the light of wisdom, grace and deliverance. Theres something amazing you feel when you meet President Biden like i did when he signed the emmett till antilynching law into a lynching bill into law he welcomed me to this place of great power. I the power of his personal devotion, his devotion to justice as to equality, his commitment to keeping the promise of america. This came from his heart, from his soul, god bless you, President Biden, for you have done and will do to preserve our history, ladies and please join me in recognizing President Biden. And. Im not going to whisper to me. Thank you, reverend parker, and thank all of you for being here. I want to thank kamala for her not only capacity to do what she does, but the fire with what she brings to the things cares a lot about. To all the members of congress, including representative bennie thompson, senator tammy duckworth, representative danny davis, senator durbin, who is a wish, a speedy recovery from covid, just recovered from covid right now. And who have long fought to honor the two family. Its not any of them to the children, really. Its an honor to be with you again. You know, when i was preparing his remarks i. I cried, frankly. And my colleagues understand this i found myself trying to temper my anger as i was ready to. Im not joking. I cant fathom i cant fathom what it must have been like. Its hard to believe was 12 years old. And i just you know, i know no matter how much time has passed, how many birthdays, how many events, how many anniversary is its hard to relive, brings it all back. Were talking about rev as it happened yesterday the images in your head things you remember but its inspiring to see how many of your family continued as mothers courage to find faith in pain purpose in pain thats thats a remarkable thing seems to me insisting on open casket casket for her murdered and i might add and mutilated son. 14 years old 14 years old she said let the people see what. Ive seen let people see what i have seen. My god, all of have lost children in other ways. How hard it is even to close the casket, keep it open. I didnt want to debate it. Its plain to see the child that had been maimed. The country and the world saw, saw. And i just heard the story of emmett till and his mother has a story of a familys promise and loss. The nations reckoning with violence over, overwhelming abuse of power and brutality. Its hard to fathom, hard to fathom this even a war for me its hard to fathom. But today what weve been would have been at its 82nd birthday, we had another chapter in the story. I remember its in healing just we joined together when signed lornas name to make a federal crime i think how long that took that to happen i mean and we screened the movie at the white house today. We joined as i signed a proclamation designating emmett till and mary Till Mobley National Monument in both illinois and. Random lynching a matter of law. We talked about wanting do this, but to from the community its been so overwhelming i thank the members of congress for their support more than their leadership at a time when there are those who seek to ban books bury history. Were making it clear crystal Crystal Clear clear. How darkness and denialism can much they nothing you can hide but they erase nothing. We cant just to learn what we want to know we have to learn what we should know. We should know about our country. We should know everything. The good, bad, the truth of who we are as a nation. Thats a great nation is do and we are a great nation. Thats what they do. For only with truth comes justice repair and another step forward toward forming a more perfect union. We got a hell of a long way to go. Thats. Thats whats happening. Thats just going to happen with visitors of all backgrounds to learn the history of emmett till and mamie tillmobley through our National Monument look, telling the truth and the full history of our nation is important. Its for our children, our grandchildren our great grandchildren, to our nation as a whole. Ive it before. Whats the lesson i learned coming out of not like real leaders in the Civil Rights Movement . I came out of the Civil Rights Movement a kid the public and i used to you know, i used to say thank you, pass something as good. You make it go away. Hate never goes away. It just hides and hides under the rocks and give me a bit of oxygen. My bad it comes roaring again. Its to all of us to deal that after all of us to stop it up to all of us the best writers with the truth. Its using a different context. But i think its time applies here side is complicity. I will not be silent, nor will you be silent about how how. Theres really critical work ahead to continue the fight for Racial Justice and equality for all americans. And my administration is committed leading the path forward. And i know the members of congress here are even more than that. Im going to close this. The reason the world saw what mrs. Till mobley saw was because another hero in this story, the black press press. Well, im sure. Jet magazine, the chicago defender, another newspaper as a radio announcers who told the story, were unflinching. And the bravery, which was they . That story, making sure america saw saw what they saw ought to be. Well one said, quote, the way to right wrongs to turn the light of truth upon them, the way to right wrongs is to shine a light of truth on them. Well, thats our charge today, by the present day, do you ever think wed be talking banning books in america . Banning. Im sure, is to tell family to all of you here today. I thank you for your courage, for never giving, never, never giving up. Before. I say, whats more is on my mind. Im not going to leave this podium. Oh, im just barbaric. Barbaric. What happened. Seriously, all you moms there imagine the courage which it took to say, let see the courage. Each. Is now my honor to sign this proclamation in memory of emmett till and miss mamie tillmobley. And i thank all for being here. And i am. I know im considered too much of an optimist, but i believe if we keep pushing, were going to continue to progress. We continue to make progress. Its already been made. The idea that were not year old was buried in this indian treaty room. This many people of color holding powerful office, changed the direction of the country would have been beyond our comprehend. Were just Getting Started started. Its about family. I get to be right in front of the rest of. The. Community ready. Proclamation. Im signing establishes the emmett till mamie Till Mobley National Monument. A senator mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from indiana. Mr. Young mr. President , i ask consent to use a prop during my