Barbara Lee
(1946-)

African-American Politician
2003 Global Exchange Human Rights Award
1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize 2005

birthdate: July 16
birthplace:
El Paso, Texas

QUOTES

We all agree that the world would be better off without Saddam Hussein in power, but I believe that we are better off still if we live under the rule of law and eliminate weapons of mass destruction. . . A preemptive, unilateral first strike would set a terrible international precedent. The question one must ask when confronting this doctrine of preemption is, where will it end? Which dictator will be next?

Some of us must say, let us step back for a moment. Let us just pause for a minute and think through the implications of our actions today so that this does not spiral out of control.

Kids can't see us bombing, and then listen to us talking about getting guns out of the schools. How can we tell them to solve problems without violence, if, in fact, we can't show an ability to solve problems without violence?

"...we need people to become empowered at this moment, now that our civil liberties are being eroded. We need people to become more involved in the political process.”

“Some people were calling me un-American and all that. I know that I'm unified with our country. I feel and I know that my actions are as American as anyone else's. I'm trying to preserve the people's right to have some kind of oversight and some say in the cycle of violence that could occur if we go into war without an end in sight.”

“I think that there's going to be a rush to judgment on civil liberties, and a clamping down, a suspension of our democratic rights. And I believe that those who are good Americans would want to see this not happen and that we debate how to find a balance between the public safety and the protection of civil liberties.”

“Sexual abuse and rape in our prisons are the epitome of the dehumanizing nature of our entire correctional system. Prison rape is a human rights issue; it's a public health issue; and it's a public safety issue.”

“We do not have to go to war, we have alternatives.”

Let Us Not Become the Evil That We Deplore."

"Today we come together to say no to the loss of innocent lives in a war that is totally unnecessary. And we are here to say yes to peace.

 

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