It is my hope that this body will recognize. consider. and support. the lone. dissenting. and honorable. position of Justice Harry Blackmun. and the earlier ruling of the Federal appeal court in New York. which decision was overturned today. The President had previously denounced the Bush administrations interdiction against the boat people as cruel and illegal. I believe that this humane response was deeply appreciated by many here and abroad. especially people of color. who view our current policy as cruel and racist. and only possible because these desperate refugees are not Western Europeans. I am deeply disappointed by the Supreme Court decision and ask my colleagues. as well as the President to exercise their power. their responsibility. in saving the lives of people who would rather face a hostile body of water than the soldiers and police of the military regime. In the past 21 months. too many of us choose to forget that the military is In power by virtue of an illegal coup. and that we are on record as opposing military takeovers. as we opposed Iraq when they invaded Kuwait.
Identified stereotypes
The speaker implies that the current policy is cruel and racist, and only possible because the refugees are not Western Europeans.