27202 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS November 17, 2005 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS

IN MEMORY OF JOHN DOMINICK ple. John will be greatly missed. A private and a sham’’ who has now, unwittingly per- BENEDETTO: HE SHARED HIS service will be arranged by the family for a haps, admitted he was wrong but blames the FAITH IN ETHICS AND FAIRNESS future date. In lieu of flowers, the family Democrats who voted to go to war because thanks all who can please donate to the TOWARD HIS FELLOW MAN TRIPPS organization: 263 Shamey Lane Ken- they made the mistake of believing what he nesaw, GA 30144 http://www.tripps.org/. told them. American soldiers and Iraqis are still dying. HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL f OF NEW YORK The President has still not told anyone the real IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JIMMY BRESLIN GETS IT RIGHT: reason we are in Iraq. He has not told the THE IRAQ WAR IS A LOCAL ISSUE truth about the intelligence he and a chosen Wednesday, November 16, 2005 few had when he took this country to war. Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL Jimmy Breslin is one of New York’s most pay special tribute to my friend, John OF NEW YORK talented writers. His description of New York Dominick Benedetto, who died August 29, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES and of the Nation as having Alzheimer’s is 2005, in Jupiter, Florida. His memory lives on Wednesday, November 16, 2005 strong but descriptive in a way hard to put in in the loving embrace of his family and many to other words and have the same effect. The friends. Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to intro- people in this country do not know there are John brought a breath of love and beauty to duce into the RECORD the commentary entitled two wars being fought by a tiny fraction of this everything he touched, whether in music, the ‘‘War must be a local issue’’, written by Jimmy population and that their sacrifice is being in- Breslin in the November 9, 2005 issue of arts, in the preparation of foods, or in his cre- flicted and endured out of the sight of the Newsday. ativity as an entrepreneur. Media and the American public. Jimmy Breslin’s writing cuts to the heart of In World War II, he served his country in the [From Newsday, Nov. 9, 2005] U.S. Air Force. But his appreciation for this an issue and this article does just that. He fo- cuses on how the President’s lies are perpet- WAR MUST BEALOCAL ISSUE land was manifest most deeply in his heartfelt (By Jimmy Breslin) concern for all of its people. He truly believed uated at the local level, in this case by Mayor The church was empty at dusk. You stood that every man, woman and child was due— Michael Bloomberg; and how some in the Congress and we as citizens accept those lies in the stillness and looked at the place, right without distinction—the fairness and justice there on the side of the altar, where Michael that are America’s promise. because we are living ‘‘in a time of National Alzheimer’s.’’ Bloomberg spoke over the casket of a fallen In his unassuming way, John personified for aristocrat of the city, Riayan A. Tejeda, Ma- Mr. Breslin wrote of the funeral of a 26-year- me the great Godly virtue taught to us in the rine, dead in Iraq at age 26. Gospel of Matthew: As you have done it unto old marine, Riayan A. Teheda at which Mayor Bloomberg pronounced, ‘‘He died to keep Bloomberg spoke two years ago. According to one of the least of these, you have done it the weapons of mass destruction out of the Mr. Breslin, the Mayor pronounced of the ma- unto me. hands of . . .’’ You heard no more. He was up there in the My love and condolences go out to Patricia, rine killed in Iraq: ‘‘He died to keep the weap- ons of mass destruction out of the hands of presence of a gallant New Yorker and he his faithful and loving wife of 28 years, their spread a lie and for me it was the start of his five daughters and two sons, their seven . . .’’ After those words, Mr. Breslin said ‘‘you heard no more.’’ Speaking of Mayor campaign and it ended with me not voting grandchildren, and of course, his brother, for him last night. Bloomberg, Mr. Breslin wrote: ‘‘He was up Tony. He says of Iraq, ‘‘It is not a local issue.’’ For the information of my colleagues I sub- there in the presence of a gallant New Yorker This was almost 2 years ago at St. Eliza- mit the following obituary which was published and he spread a lie and for me it was the start beth’s Catholic Church on Wadsworth Ave- in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on August of his campaign and it ended with me not vot- nue in Washington Heights, which is more ing for him . . .’’ than somewhat local. 30, 2005. The funeral of Riayan A. Teheda was at St. By myself, I have been at the deep grief of Benedetto, John Dominick, was born on Elizabeth’s Catholic Church on Wadsworth Av- another soldier’s funeral in the Bronx, one in March 18, 1923 in New York City, died August enue in Washington Heights, which to Mr. Ridgewood, another in Brooklyn. 29, 2005 in Jupiter, FL. He is survived by his If the kid who gets killed is local, then— loving wife of 28 years Patricia, his brother Breslin was ‘‘more than somewhat local.’’ He the war is local. Tony, five daughters, two sons and seven reports that he had been to the funerals of This war continues without an official pro- grandchildren. As a young boy, John sang other kids in the Bronx, Ridgewood and in test that would call out the will of the peo- with the Metropolitan Opera Company, Brooklyn. Mr. Breslin concluded: ‘‘If a kid who ple of the City of New York and might count where his beautiful tenor voice resonated gets killed is local, then—the war is local.’’ in a Nation that by now realizes it has been through the hills of Italy. His talent and cre- When President Bush ‘‘comforts’’ the fami- the victim of a president who is a fake and ativity was a mainstay throughout his life, lies who have lost their sons, daughters, sis- a fraud and a shill and a sham and now is and manifested through his passion for ters, brothers, fathers and mothers by telling going around with the blind staggers. music, life, art, and family. After returning them the deaths of their loved ones honors Only the other night, in a television ap- from his tour with the U.S. Air Force during pearance with the opponent, Ferrer, WWII, John became an entrepreneur whose those have died before them, he cannot really Bloomberg was asked about withdrawing passion for invention was nurtured through provide comfort. The parents of a fallen soldier troops from Iraq and—heavens!—you can’t do the development of many ideas and opportu- would never ask that another family suffer that. Why, that would mean that New York’s nities. As an innovative thinker, John what they have suffered. The parents I have fallen military would have died in vain. And thought about ways to make the world a bet- met don’t believe their sons and daughters why you could never say that about the ter place to live and to foster positive social need the deaths of other sons and daughters three or four who would be killed on the day change. John loved to bring people together, to prove their children have died honorably. after that, and tomorrow and tomorrow. whether it was for a small family gathering They believe their children died for their coun- They die in the splendor of bravery, the where he would create amazing meals with try. They have died for their country. prayer of valor. And fall in vain because the love, or simply sitting on his dock and fish- government causes them to die in vain. ing with a friend or relative. His travels and To quote Mr. Breslin again: ‘‘They die in the Around this great city yesterday, the day life’s path brought him many experiences splendor of bravery, the prayer of valor. And went into the heart of the night without ex- that were colorfully shared In anecdotes over fall in vain because the government causes citement. There was an election for mayor a card game or an expertly mixed drink. them to die in vain.’’ and the streets should have been loud with John’s charm and charisma attracted many What Mr. Breslin identifies is national lead- the shrieks of people crying for your vote. friends, and allowed him to touch many peo- ership that is, ‘‘a fake and a fraud and a shill Bloomberg last night finished spending at

● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor.

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