Speaker. 215 years ago the Founding Fathers of this Nation made an Initial commitment to the concept of equality In the words of the Declaration of Independence. This hallowed document affirmed that "all men are created equal. that they are endowed by their Creator with certain Inalienable rights. that among these are life. liberty and the pursuit of happiness." For almost a century following. the fulfillment of that concept of equality was restricted. with few exceptions. only to white males who were not Catholics or Jews. However. with the advent of Jacksonian democracy and new generations of immigrants. people of conscience began to question the oppression. Intolerance. bigotry. and economic elitism that precluded Inclusion of all Americas Inhabitants in the promise of American lifethe right to be free citizens with equal opportunity for allregardless of race. creed. gender. national origin. or political preference. One hundred thirty years ago this Nation entered Into one of the bloodiest civil wars In any nations historyfor the ultimate goals of ending the obscenity of slavery and expending the frontiers of freedom for all of Americas mlnodtes.
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