At the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association Brunch in Springfield, IL, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) made references to the Civil Rights Movement in a call to fight for Democratic values.
00:00But we also know from our history that we are a resilient country, that when times are tough, just enough of us have been able to, over and over and over again, stand up and show up and speak up for what is right.
00:16That's what all of us are now called upon to do, have been doing, certainly here in the great state of Illinois.
00:25Stand up and show up and speak up for what is right.
00:31And I'm very clear about things.
00:34They want us to step back, but we're here to fight back for an America that is the best version of herself.
00:44The Democratic Party is not the minority party.
00:48We are the opposition party fighting for a better America.
00:53Even in the midst of all of the challenges.
00:59They want to cancel our history so we don't learn from our history.
01:04But we can learn a lot from the resilience that so many people have showed of every race.
01:10We saw this during the Civil Rights Movement, which of course started when Rosa Parks sat down on that bus in Montgomery, Alabama.
01:22She sat down so that everybody else could stand up.
01:26And it started the Civil Rights Movement during a very tough time.
01:30And in those early days of the Civil Rights Movement, those first few months, they were under significant oppression.
01:38Dr. King, Rosa Parks, so many others.
01:41People of different races, people of different races, of different religions who flocked down south.
01:47They were arrested.
01:49They were prosecuted.
01:49They were detained.
01:52Some thought it hopeless that change was possible.
01:56And during those early days of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King famously, a few months after it started, came to a church.
02:02The Concord Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York.
02:08And he knew that some people were discouraged.
02:10And so he said to them that they've got to keep pressing on.
02:17He said, if you can't fly, run.
02:22If you can't run, walk.
02:24If you can't walk, crawl.
02:28But press on and keep pressing.
02:30And at this moment in time, Illinois Democrats, that's our charge.
02:39We've got to press on.
02:41Press on for our children.
02:43Press on for our seniors.
02:45Press on for our veterans.
02:47Press on for our farmers.
02:48Press on for our unions.
02:50Press on for our dreamers.
02:52Press on for working class folks.
02:55Press on for the middle class.
02:56Press on for the poor.
02:58Press on for the sick.
02:59Press on for the afflicted.
03:02Press on for the least.
03:03Press on for the lost.
03:05Press on for the left behind.
03:07Press on for economic justice.
03:09Press on for social justice.
03:11Press on for racial justice.
03:13Press on for civil rights.
03:14Press on for voting rights.
03:16Press on for reproductive freedom.
03:18Press on until we take back control of the House of Representatives.
03:22Press on for our democracy.
03:24We will press on as Democrats until victory is won.
03:29God bless you.
03:30God bless the Illinois Democratic Party and the County Chairs Association.
03:34And may God continue to bless the United States of America.
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