Floor SpeechNeutral2025-03-31

WIPING OUT HISTORY

Context

On 2025-03-31, Representative Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX-34) delivered a floor speech titled "WIPING OUT HISTORY" in the House.

Full Text

WIPING OUT HISTORY

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 57 (Monday, March 31, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 57 (Monday, March 31, 2025)] [House] [Page H1342] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] WIPING OUT HISTORY (Mr. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. VICENTE GONZALEZ of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of our south Texas war hero, Sergeant Alfredo ``Freddy'' Gonzalez, a hero who will never be forgotten. Sergeant Gonzalez was killed in action February 4, 1968. History is clear, he was a marine sergeant in charge of a third platoon company near Hue City, Vietnam. His company came under heavy fire for days. Sergeant Gonzalez maneuvered his men and returned fire and personally carried wounded warriors out of harm's way. He didn't ask what ethnicity these men were or religion or what region of the country they came from. They were all Americans fighting one of the most atrocious and unpopular wars in our history. Freddy was awarded the Medal of Honor not because he asked for a special privilege or recognition or job. Freddy was dead. He was recognized by his men for his bravery, for going beyond his call of duty to save other American lives while losing his own. This administration's appalling efforts to erase history under the disguise of eliminating DEI has seen no boundaries, prompting indiscriminate removals of Latinos, women, and other minorities from our Nation's archives. They removed the Tuskegee Airmen, who proudly defended our country in Europe during World War II, removed our Navajo Code Talkers who helped us defeat Japan, and they removed our most recent and Honorable General Colin Powell, for God's sake. For God's sake, have they no shame? Have they no decency? This is not about eliminating DEI. This is straight-up, old-fashioned racism against some of the most deserving Americans in our history. I ask my friends on the other side of the aisle who have worn our uniform and some who have fought for our freedom to stand with me, to stand on the right side of history with the American people and oppose these un-American, unpatriotic policies coming from this administration, from folks who never had the gall to serve themselves. Let's grow a spine in this House and preserve the American values that actually made us great. ____________________

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WIPING OUT HISTORY Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 57 (Monday, March 31, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 57 (Monday, March 31, 2025)] [House] [Page H1342] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] WIPING OUT HISTORY (Mr. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. VICENTE GONZALEZ of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of our south Texas war hero, Sergeant Alfredo ``Freddy'' Gonzalez, a hero who will never be forgotten. Sergeant Gonzalez was killed in action February 4, 1968. History is clear, he was a marine sergeant in charge of a third platoon company near Hue City, Vietnam. His company came under heavy fire for days. Sergeant Gonzalez maneuvered his men and returned fire and personally carried wounded warriors out of harm's way. He didn't ask what ethnicity these men were or religion or what region of the country they came from. They were all Americans fighting one of the most atrocious and unpopular wars in our history. Freddy was awarded the Medal of Honor not because he asked for a special privilege or recognition or job. Freddy was dead. He was recognized by his men for his bravery, for going beyond his call of duty to save other American lives while losing his own. This administration's appalling efforts to erase history under the disguise of eliminating DEI has seen no boundaries, prompting indiscriminate removals of Latinos, women, and other minorities from our Nation's archives. They removed the Tuskegee Airmen, who proudly defended our country in Europe during World War II, removed our Navajo Code Talkers who helped us defeat Japan, and they removed our most recent and Honorable General Colin Powell, for God's sake. For God's sake, have they no shame? Have they no decency? This is not about eliminating DEI. This is straight-up, old-fashioned racism against some of the most deserving Americans in our history. I ask my friends on the other side of the aisle who have worn our uniform and some who have fought for our freedom to stand with me, to stand on the right side of history with the American people and oppose these un-American, unpatriotic policies coming from this administration, from folks who never had the gall to serve themselves. Let's grow a spine in this House and preserve the American values that actually made us great. ____________________