Rep. Al Green Likens His Trump Impeachment Efforts to Rosa Parks, MLK Jr.

‘Sometimes you have to do the right thing and perhaps, it will become a spark’

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The Texas congressman who unsuccessfully attempted this week to impeach President Trump is already likening himself to Rosa Parks and MLK. 

After the impeachment effort attracted just 58 votes, Rep. Green (D-Texas) defended his effort, drawing comparisons to Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.

"When Rosa Parks took that seat on the bus, she didn't do it assuming that she would end segregation in the South at that time," Green said Saturday during an interview on MSNBC. "She did it because it was the right thing to do. In fact it was the righteous thing to do."

"When Dr. King went to jail, he didn't think that he would end segregation while he was there in the Birmingham jail, but he did the right thing," Green continued. "You have to stand up to hate and you have to fight it. You can’t try to placate hate. You have got to stand and look it in the eye."

Here's a transcript: 

WITT: “Backing up what you are saying, you took that in terms of putting together some impeachment efforts, they did fail this week. You forced the vote on the House floor. I want to just outline the two articles, one for associating the presidency of white nationalism, neo-nazism and hatred, and another for inciting hatred and hostility. So, a bit later today, I am speaking with Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, as you know among the many of House Democrats who voted against it. Do you this morning feel let down by your fellow Democrats?”

GREEN: “No, I don’t. I don't have one scintilla of regret. For edification purposes: The honorable John Lewis voted with us, the honorable Benny Thompson did as well. When Rosa Parks took that seat on the bus, she didn't do it assuming that she would end segregation in the South at that time. She did it because it was the right thing to do. In fact it was the righteous thing to do. Sometimes you have to do the right thing and perhaps it will become the spark. We had 58 votes. That’s nearly a third of the Democratic caucus. And it's about bout 57 more than a good many people thought we would have. When Dr. King went to jail, he didn't think that he would end segregation while he was there in the Birmingham jail, but he did the right thing. You have to stand up to hate and you have to fight it. You can’t try to placate hate. You have got to stand and look it in the eye.”

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