May 19, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1009 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS A TRIBUTE TO SERGEANT JOHN community. Did not the Presbyterian leader- 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Hol- ‘‘MAC’’ SMITH ship know that the best way to unite the ocaust’s death camps with a first, special Jews is to challenge the Jewish state in a se- session of the United Nations General As- rious way? Organized American Jewry is sembly on January 24th, 2005, we recall that HON. MIKE McINTYRE surely committed to safeguarding Israel’s modern Israel arose from the martyrs’ ashes. OF NORTH CAROLINA well-being at the critical front here at home. History has taught us that when we deny a IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES For a mainline Protestant denomination, people’s spiritual authenticity we ultimately though with dwindling members but with yet invite its physical annihilation. Wednesday, May 18, 2005 considerable influence, to go beyond past f Mr. MCINTYRE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to critical resolutions and risk alienating its pay tribute to Sgt. John ‘‘Mac’’ Smith of Wil- Jewish partners in common quests of inter- SALUTING ANTHONY DEION mington, North Carolina, for serving his coun- faith dialogue for a better America and hu- BRANCH manity, is a cause for an evaluative pause. try valiantly with the 11th Armored Cavalry What has gone so wrong? How can we set Regiment in Operation Iraqi Freedom. On May the record straight and rejoin in essential HON. CHARLES W. ‘‘CHIP’’ PICKERING OF MISSISSIPPI 11, 2005, Sgt. Smith lost his life when a road- and increased cooperation, establishing bet- side bomb hit his convoy. He was coura- ter lines of communication? In a climate of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES geously serving his second tour of duty in rising world anti-Semitism, won’t divest- Wednesday, May 18, 2005 Iraq, and our heartfelt thanks and prayers go ment worsen matters, threatening to place Israel in the pariah state category as was the Mr. PICKERING. Mr. Speaker, Mississippi’s out to his family and friends in this time of community and junior college system pro- grief. case with South Africa which the Pres- byterians rightly pursued? Would other reli- duces some of the top football players in the At an early age, John’s family knew that he gious bodies and secular institutions be Nation. They are always targets of recruitment was destined for the U.S. Army. As a toddler, tempted to follow suit? Wouldn’t added eco- from universities around the country seeking he wore camouflage clothing and once spent nomic pressure and isolation damage Israel’s to bolster their football programs. From time to a summer at Ft. Bragg. As a student at New ongoing courageous peace work, hurting a time, we produce a truly great player who can Hanover High School in Wilmington, John was close ally of the U.S.? compete at the highest level with the leader- To attack Israel following four bloody in the Army JROTC program, and during his ship and poise necessary to be the top player senior year he served as drill team com- years of unremitting and victimizing ter- rorist suicide bombings that no other nation in the top game. Anthony Deion Branch from mander. John enlisted in the Army in 2000. would have tolerated without a major re- Jones County Junior College—in my home As a member of the Army, he dedicated his sponse that surely Israel could deliver, is a county—was named Super Bowl XXXIX Most career to defending the values this nation sad commentary on the exhibited callousness Valuable Player. Today I’d like to salute that holds dear. By risking his life to ensure the of mostly friends tuning out a certain re- achievement and speak a little about his road safety of others, John made the ultimate sac- ality. A reality including the plight of the to that success. rifice. His valiant actions and steadfast service Christian minority in the Arab Muslim world Deion’s career began in Albany, Georgia remind us of the gratitude we feel toward him in general and particularly now among the where he excelled in track, football and en- and all the other servicemen and women who Palestinians where ironically the Pres- byterians have long roots of involvement, it, joyed soccer in high school. After graduating have lost their lives serving as guardians of obviously affecting their stance on Middle he made the long drive to Ellisville, Mississippi this great country. John was indeed a man of East issues. It is also the outcome of too where he competed and earned a spot on the courage and integrity. many Presbyterians lacking pertinent infor- Jones County Junior College football team. Mr. Speaker, may the memory of Sgt. John mation. There he grabbed 37 passes for 639 yards ‘‘Mac’’ Campbell live on in our hearts, and The cited Israeli security barrier as prob- and five touchdowns as a freshman on the may God’s strength and peace be with his lematic ignores the dramatic reduction in Bobcat squad. The following year he took 69 family. terrorist infiltrations as well as Israel’s Su- preme Court intervention in correcting the receptions for 1,012 yards and nine touch- f barrier’s path to alleviate hardships, with its downs, earning second-team AII-American ARTICLE BY RABBI ISRAEL final destiny dependent upon future develop- honors and leading JCJC to a 12–0 mark and ZOBERMAN ments. It was after all the late Chairman a victory at the Golden Isles Bowl to bring Arafat who responded in 2000 at Camp David home the junior college national champion- to the offered vision of peace with improved ship. HON. THELMA D. DRAKE upon past violence, reverting to his old ter- The University of Louisville recruited Deion OF VIRGINIA rorist persona with which he chose to die. It who hauled in 143 passes for 2,204 yards and is Prime Minister Sharon who succeeded in IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 18 touchdowns in his two years there. He be- radically transforming himself to the point Wednesday, May 18, 2005 of supporting a Palestinian state, presently came only the second player in school history to record multiple 1,000 yard seasons and is Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to risking his life with his disengagement plan from Gaza and parts of the West Bank. listed fourth and sixth respectively in the share the following article written by a con- How can an enduring and inspiring Israel, school records for career touchdown catches stituent, Rabbi Israel Zoberman. a beleaguered outpost of Western values, be and receptions with the Cardinals—and that in I vividly recall my pride back in 1980 at the compared to a corrupt and terrorism-friendly just two years. Rockefeller Chapel of the University of Chi- Palestinian Authority yet to prove with its The New England Patriots used their Num- cago as I received the first doctoral degree newly elected president Mahamud Abbas, ber 65 pick in the 2002 Draft to bring in Deion awarded to a Rabbi by McCormick Theo- through Israeli cooperation, that our trust in logical Seminary which is affiliated with the its democratic and peaceful potential is not to what many are now describing as a dy- Presbyterian Church, USA. The dean whis- dangerously misplaced? How tragic indeed nasty—three Super Bowl Victories in four pered in my ear, ‘‘You are the first,’’ without that Palestinian suffering is largely due to years, two with Deion on the team. public fanfare. A disconcerting reminder of its leaders’ ineptitude and the duplicity of Deion’s first Super Bowl ring came without that ambiguous attitude is the recent con- the Arab nations through the years, abusing the MVP award; his colleague and football leg- troversial vote by the 216th General Assem- their brethren’s plight for their own regres- end Tom Brady won it that year. But while bly of the PC (USA) meeting in Richmond, sive agenda, while refusing to grant them many of us fans thought he should be consid- Virginia for studying ‘‘selective divestment’’ their own state prior to 1967 when Israel was ered, we didn’t have to wait long to be satis- from companies doing business in Israel with saddled with the territories following an at- fied. The following year, despite an injury in at least one million dollars in revenue, and tack on Jewish sovereignty. deemed to hurt the Palestinians. Lastly but not least, the continued Pres- his second game which kept him on the side- It is quite astonishing that there was a byterian misguided goal to missionize among lines for the next seven matches, Deion fin- rather limited sense of the adverse impact of Jews remains a blight on a denomination ished the season with 35 receptions for 454 the anti-Israel move on the American Jewish that deserves better. Commemorating the yards and four touchdowns. ∑ 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. VerDate Aug 04 2004 06:11 May 20, 2005 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A18MY8.011 E19PT1 E1010 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 19, 2005 Deion had trained and focused and coming himself to academic pursuits and under- him you would know why we must honor him.’’ into the end of the season from an injury, he standing economic and social Unfortunately, we will never know what Mal- was still ready for the premier football event in disempowerment.